Crossroads
by the-almighty-berry
Summary: A powerful witch with a remarkable lineage takes up residence in Sunnydale, creating havoc with Spike’s long-buried feelings. It's MY universe! Deal.
1. Prologue

Prologue  
  
1806, North of London  
  
Soft music filled the night air. There were echoes of laughter from within the gaily lit home of the Thorntons. The party has well started already as expected.  
  
Anne sighed as she took her cousin's arm and carefully stepped off the carriage. She gazed at the royal imposing structure of her best friend's ancestral home, feeling a sudden sense of foreboding. She stiffened unconsciously as she saw William approach them, a twinkle in his blue eyes and a gentle smile on his beautiful lips.  
  
"Annie! I'm so glad you came." He gave her his customary bear hug, practically lifting her off the ground. "I can't believe you're actually here! It's been a long time, pet. "  
  
Anne grinned forcefully, despite the tightening in her stomach, " Well, technically, it's been a year and 5 months since I last visited. How have you been? Anything interesting happened around here?" She asked curiously, taking his proffered arm.  
  
William grinned, "There is so much to tell, Annie. But first, " He gestured with a wide sweep of his arms at the large doors that led to where the party was being held, "What do you say we go and get started with the festivities?"  
  
With a ladylike laugh, Anne allowed herself to be led inside their magnificent abode. There were quite a number of people milling about the ballroom, all impeccably dressed. The women adorned their best gowns and jewelry, set to impress and attract attention while the men walked around conversing with each other on various topics of interest.  
  
Smiling to herself, she absently noted the easy gaiety and laughter around her. Normalcy ... something which regular humans take for granted but one that I will never truly have in my life. She glanced at her companion fleetingly. Well, probably, except having him in my life...  
  
She reacquainted herself with old friends as she circled the room with William. She was starting to have a good time, despite her nervous jitters earlier.  
  
William Thornton. He had always been her Prince with his intense blue eyes, perfectly sculpted features and gentle nature. Even if it were only in her dreams. She never dared to let down her guard for fear that William would notice. She valued their special bond, a friendship forged since childhood.  
  
And special it was indeed. No one knew her as well and as deeply as her William. And of no one does William confide his innermost desires and dreams but to his lovely Anne. It was a friendship both cherished and protected. Sadly for Anne, it evolved into something that is forbidden between best friends ---- a love that should never be.  
  
She tried to fight her emotions, willing herself to look at her dear William without love clouding her vision. But it was infinitely hopeless. Still, no one knew of her secret. The risk was too great.  
  
"Ahh... little Annie! It's been so long!" Charles Markham greeted loudly, interrupting her musing. His handsome features expressed his delight. "You look lovelier than ever." He placed a soft kiss on her hand as he stared, enraptured.  
  
Anne smiled indulgently at the young man. Charles has been trying to charm her away from William's side for ages, and has yet to succeed in doing so. He held a strong competition against William in looks and social standing, yet Anne couldn't find it in herself to look at another man without seeing William's face. She despaired the fact that William will be the only man for her, no matter what she did.  
  
She sneaked a peak at William, hoping to see a reaction for Charles' flirtation. But he seemed distracted, constantly glancing at the front door.  
  
"Where..." He muttered, his hold on Anne tightening slightly.  
  
"Will, my dear friend," Charles spoke huskily, still staring at Anne, "... may I then whisk this darling creature for a little dance? I'm dying to hold her in my arms and gaze on those lovely blue eyes ..." He winked at Anne, who blushed slightly at the exaggerated flattery.  
  
William looked at his friend with a blank stare. He noticed the seductive glint in his friend's eye and, for some reason, didn't like it. Realizing an answer was expected of him, He began to shake his head emphatically, replying curtly, "I'm sorry Charles, but Anne is to stay by my side all evening." He grabbed Anne's elbow and led her off to the dance floor, leaving the man behind staring wistfully at them.  
  
Anne knew she shouldn't take his words too seriously. But she didn't care! William acted like a possessive beau, if even for that short while. As they moved smoothly into a dance, she lifted her eyes; blue eyes gazed at blue eyes. She whispered, "I've missed you, William."  
  
He smiled tenderly, "And I you, my lovely Anne. It's been too long, and a lot has happened this past year and a half. I don't know where to begin." He cocked his head to one side and asked, "How is your mother? I haven't seen her since..."  
  
Anne's eyes clouded with sadness, "Mama is just fine. It's been a year since Papa passed away.... But we are coping." She smiled wanly.  
  
William kissed her forehead comfortingly, "I know you are a strong girl, Anne. Although, it is a mite curious that after all this time, I haven't been able to catch even a glimpse of your father." His forehead wrinkled in a frown as he pondered on that.  
  
Anne hurriedly explained, "I – I guess it was because of those frequent... trips to the .. uh, country. He didn't want Grandma Sinclair on her own all the time. And you're always busy with your work in the infirmary..."  
  
"I suppose... But it is still a mite curious." William shrugged.  
  
"So what else have you been up to?" Anne asked, trying to shift the focus of their conversation from her family.  
  
William grinned, "Let's just say that there are a lot of new things to look forward to..."  
  
"Oh, really? "Anne raised her eyebrows, "Please don't tell me you're planning to elope with Arianna Suffolk!" Arianna was the local bookkeeper, often found with her nose buried on her beloved books. She was also the only girl whom, apparently, hadn't fallen for William's easy charms and looks.  
  
"That crazy bint?" He snorted. Anne slapped his shoulder in reprimand. "Ow!"  
  
Anne glowered at him, "Don't talk like that. She's a nice girl. A little off sometimes, but..."  
  
William laughed, " Fine. I won't." He held her close as they continued to dance to the soft music, and all talks of eloping went out of Anne's mind.  
  
Then he led her to the courtyard, carefully avoiding some of their friends so that they could talk in private. Anne felt a strange fluttering in her stomach.  
  
William grabbed both her hands, looking earnestly in her confused blue eyes. "Annie, this might be the last time we would be able to talk like this, and that's why I am taking advantage of this opportunity." He reached into his pocket and grinned, "I have something to give to you."  
  
Anne's heart suddenly raced in anticipation. She couldn't believe the look in William's eyes. It was like he ... as if he was ...  
  
He held a gold amulet in his hand. He placed it in Anne's trembling hand, explaining, "This has been in my family for years. My grandfather gave this to me by his deathbed. He said I should give this to a person I deem worthy of my utmost trust and confidence. He said it would serve as protection from the darkness. And I immediately thought of you, Annie." He smiled.  
  
Anne looked at the large golden amulet, carved with the most intricate of designs and embedded with diamonds and rubies in an inconceivable pattern. Somehow, she felt deflated. It wasn't what she expected at all!  
  
She gathered the courage to ask, "Why me? Surely you should gift this to the woman you choose to marry. She would be the one, who would have your utmost trust and confidence, would she not?"  
  
William shrugged, "You're a very special person in my life, Annie. You are the first person to know the real me, Annie. You helped me realize who I am through our friendship. For that, I am eternally grateful."  
  
Anne tried not to look with adoring eyes. Really, she did.  
  
"... Anyways, I already bought a ring for my intended." He extracted a small black pouch from his pocket to show Anne a diamond ring. " What do you think? Will she like it?"  
  
Intended? Oh God... no...  
  
Anne couldn't answer. Her world was already crashing around her shoulders, her ears seemed to ring ceaselessly amidst the pounding of her heart. She stared at the ring, afraid of its power to hurt her. She took several deep breaths before attempting to speak as calmly as she could.  
  
"In—intended? You .. you're already engaged?" Her voice sounded flat to her ears. She couldn't bear to look him in the eye, for fear her emotions are evident in her eyes.  
  
William frowned, "Of course. Did I not write it to you then?"  
  
She shook her head, "No. I would think I'll be able to remember such... such news, Will." Her head still bent.  
  
William sighed, "I'm sorry if I surprised you. I didn't mean to neglect telling you about it, believe me. Things have just been so confusing these days, with my work at Dr. Haliwell's office and the preparations for my wedding..."  
  
Anne forced her eyes to remain clear and blank. She took a deep breath before looking William in the eye, "I am so happy for you, William. I hope you have a good life with your... intended." She smiled, her heart in her throat.  
  
William smiled gratefully, "Thank you, Annie."  
  
"William?" A soft voice came from the doorway.  
  
William swiveled to look and his smile grew wider, " Ahh... there she is. Love, would you step in here so I could introduce you to my dear friend, Annie."  
  
A very beautiful raven-haired woman of about Anne's age stepped into the courtyard, a small smile in her lovely lips. Her features were smooth and delicate, almost childlike. She moved with the grace of a ballerina, her eyes gently curious and questioning.  
  
"Anne, this is the love of my life, Elizabeth Bradley. Liz, this is my friend, Anne Sinclair."  
  
Anne forced a smile on her lips as she greeted the enchanting woman in front of her. She murmured, "I can see why William is truly enamored of you, Miss Bradley."  
  
Elizabeth laughed, the sound reminiscent of tinkling bells, "Oh, but I am sure I was the one who is under his spell. William can be so charming at times."  
  
"I know." Was Anne's whispered reply.  
  
Suddenly, she felt suffocated. She couldn't stand being there any longer, knowing that her life with William is about to end. She sought the comfort of her quiet home; the gaiety sounding from inside only heightened the tension inside her.  
  
She didn't know for how long she would be able to hold back her tears. She looked at the couple and hastily apologized, "William, I have to go now. I.. I just remembered that I still have work to do before I set off for my travels once more. I must be off for Scotland next week. I am really sorry but I must depart."  
  
William looked confused, "But you must stay for the announcement of our engagement."  
  
Anne shook her head, smiling gently, "I'm sure you won't be needing my presence there. Well, I want to wish you two a very happy and fruitful marriage. You deserve nothing less, I'm sure." With a nod goodbye, she walked back towards the crowded ballroom, her head high as her heart started to break.  
  
"I'll send someone to deliver your invitation." William called out.  
  
Elizabeth looked at Anne's retreating figure and whispered thoughtfully, " William..."  
  
"Yes, my love?" William murmured as he lovingly wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"I think she's in love with you."  
  
"Who? Annie?"  
  
"Yes. The way she looked just now..."  
  
He chuckled, "No, I'm sure she's not. I would have noticed it if she harbored any feelings for me. She's just my childhood friend, nothing more."  
  
Elizabeth sighed. Men could be so dense.  
  
After whispering a hasty goodbye to her concerned cousin, she quickly requested for a carriage to bring her home. She refused to allow herself time to think of William's imminent nuptials or the censure she would be receiving because of her hasty departure. A few minutes later, she was on her way to her waiting house, her hand clutching the amulet as tears finally found release from her tightly closed eyes. Her silent sobs were swallowed by the rhythmic sounds of the moving carriage.  
  
William will never know. Never. She vowed silently. She still had to guard her pride and dignity with utmost zeal.  
  
It was all she had left. 


	2. Moving to the Hellmouth

One.  
  
2002, London  
  
Not a single tear was shed. Only numbness kept the pain at bay.  
  
Nurse Fairchilde gazed at her patient with empathy. Such a shame, really. A young thing like her shouldn't have to suffer so much.  
  
If the elderly nurse only knew...  
  
Two weeks has already passed since that tragic night, sufficient time to heal her physical wounds but not enough time to start the real healing process.  
  
He's back. And wasted no time in bringing hell back in her life.  
  
She was standing by the open window, her long raven-black hair billowing around her shoulders, the red silk robe flowing with the wind. She stood staring at the vastness of the concrete forest of London. She breathed heavily then wrapped her arms around her stomach, as if to keep herself from falling apart.  
  
The elderly nurse approached her, carrying a tray of teacups and biscuits. "Dear, would you care for a cup of tea?" She waved the wand in her hand and instantly, two chairs and a small table appeared beside a corner window.  
  
Anne turned and smiled weakly at her. She nodded, moving slowly toward one chair. Her face remained blank and expressionless as she waited for Nurse Fairchilde to serve her a cup of the steaming tea. Her eyes averted once again to the open window, the gray landscape of the city providing a hypnotizing view.  
  
"The Ministry called for you this morning." Nurse Fairchilde said in a conversational tone. She poured the hot steaming tea into the small cups and settled across from her charge. "Mr. Fudge was most adamant in wanting to come and speak with you but I refused to let him do so. "  
  
Anne smiled wanly as she accepted a cup, "Thank you, ma'am. I don't think I would be very good company right now."  
  
Nurse Fairchilde clucked her tongue, "But you are already feeling better, yes? "Her kind eyes caught the look of sudden despair and shook her head.  
  
Anne lowered the cup and struggled to control her emotions. She still couldn't bring herself to speak of it without the threat of breaking apart. Instead of giving in to her grief, she did what she does best: get wrapped up in her cloak of numbness and hope that the pain would eventually die down.  
  
But it never did.  
  
The pain seemed to feed from her guilt, the guilt that she kept alive within her as a reminder of her failure to protect them. They died for her ... because of her. They died because she failed them.  
  
A lone tear traveled down her smooth pale cheek as she stared unseeingly once again at the forest below. Voices of guilt and remorse plagued her being as she fought to hold herself together. Their screams continue to echo in her head, trapped in the dark chamber of her mind. She believed she would never know peace until she found redemption.  
  
A sudden commotion momentarily distracted her and the nurse. Two men dressed in inconspicuous muggle clothing were creating a racket by the infirmary door. Sirius and Lupin...  
  
"You cannot just barge in here, sir. Hospital regulations state that ..."  
  
Lupin waved the young male Healer away, replying breezily, " We are here to see Miss Sinclair, and her alone."  
  
Several more Healers approached, preventing the two men to walk past the door. "Please sir. Do not be difficult." They brandished their wands as a silent threat.  
  
Sirius chuckled, "Now, now. There is no need for that. Just tell Anne that Sirius and Lupin are here. I am sure she would see us."  
  
"Sirius! Lupin! What are you doing here?" Anne's startled cry broke the tight circle of Healers apart.  
  
They looked at Nurse Fairchilde, who nodded her approval. They stepped aside, hiding their wands beneath their white robes.  
  
Anne walked slowly towards the pair, still mindful of her injuries. Her two friends regarded her with concern and relief. By the time she reached them, she was soon enveloped in a crushing hug, sandwiched between the two.  
  
"We came as soon as we heard. Dumbledore sent us both an owl. I'm so sorry for not having been with you. You see, we were..." Lupin began urgently.  
  
Anne smiled reassuringly, " No worries, luv. I'm fine. Nurse Fairchilde is taking good care of me. In fact, I am to be discharged any day now."  
  
Sirius made a face, "How could you stand the stuffiness here? They should have sent you straight to St. Mungo's!"  
  
Lupin looked at her seriously, "Honestly, how are you keeping up?"  
  
Her eyes clouded for a moment then she replied in a soft voice, " A bit slow in the uptake but I'll cope. I always do. I just wish that ... that they were ... spared ... somehow ..."  
  
Lupin and Sirius continue to hold her between them as her body was immediately wracked with heaving sobs. There was just so much she could take, and in the presence of the two people she loved most in the world, she couldn't keep up with the pretense any longer.  
  
Several minutes passed. The three of them simply stood there, openly comforting each other. When Anne's tears were finally spent, Sirius conjured three chairs at one corner and gestured for them to sit.  
  
Silence reigned for a while, the three of them silently communicated with each other. Lupin broke the quietness and said, "You do know you were not at fault there."  
  
Anne snorted, "How could I think that? I was the one with the power to stop him. But I failed! Even now, I can still feel him, feel him wandering, gathering strength and preparing for his next strike."  
  
Sirius shook his head, "So all the better for you to begin arming yourself now and prepare to fight the next battle. The Order is working harder than ever. Why don't you come back to headquarters with us so you'll see the bigger picture? You know he won't stop until he absorbs your power and holds your heart in his hands. Among other things... "  
  
Anne fell silent. She could feel the weakness her fear and insecurity was causing crawl inside her limbs. "I don't think I can do it anymore..."  
  
"DON'T SAY THAT!" Sirius bellowed. " Anne, you're the strongest person I have ever known. From no other wizard or witch have I witnessed the courage and strength that you have kept alive within you. From no other have I seen the power of the Light radiate more fully than in you. Much blood was shed and numerous lives were sacrificed. Are you just going to walk away from that? Will you let their deaths become a waste? So what if he won this round? The war isn't over yet. And no matter how many times you may deny it, YOU are still the only one who can stop him. You alone have the power, if only you believed in it yourself."  
  
Anne stared at him, recognizing the truth in his words. Her tears dried as her eyes took on a new light.  
  
She was never frail and pathetic. She always knew that. But finding the will to move on has always been her weak spot.  
  
"Don't quit now. Don't give up on us, pet." Sirius looked at her, his tone earnest. "I know you. You're much stronger than you let on. Don't let him destroy you."  
  
Lupin added, "And no matter what happens, always remember that you're never alone in this. You never have been. You still have us, the Order, and even your three crazy pets."  
  
She instantly smiled at this, finding her heart lightened. She knew in her heart that they meant well and that they spoke the truth. She had to continue fighting the good fight, keep her guard up for the next clash with He Who Must Not Be Named.  
  
Anne looked at her friends with a grateful grin, "I don't know how you do it, but I thank you for being here when I need you two the most."  
  
Sirius shrugged, grinning back, "Well, we do have our moments."  
  
"Won't you be missed from your work?"  
  
"Fudge already knows we've set off. I left a note saying we'll be gone for the day." Sirius explained, smirking. Anne clucked her tongue at the two, acting like a schoolmarm.  
  
"Don't worry, we were absolutely careful. I'm sure our presence wasn't detected by anyone." Lupin assured her.  
  
Anne's eyes clouded once again. " I just remembered. How is Harry? I haven't seen him since the Triwizard Cup..."  
  
Sirius had a hard look on his face at the mention of his godson, " He's at the Dursleys'. The safest place for him to be, so says Dumbledore." He said in a clipped voice.  
  
"I'm sure the professor's right. Gramps wouldn't let anything happen to him." Anne used her nickname for the old professor who always treated her as his own. "I was hoping I could say goodbye to him and my other students... before I move on."  
  
She reached inside her robe and took out a letter. Showing it to them, she remarked, "It's from the American Ministry of Magic. They're offering me a new job, one that's a continent away from here. They said they'll be needing help now that You-know-who's back."  
  
Lupin grabbed the said letter and quickly scanned its contents. Sirius asked curiously, "Are you going to take it?"  
  
Anne shrugged, "Gramps said I should take it. I could still work with the Order, and an international collaboration would be most helpful. I'm still thinking about it. It may prove to be another challenge, especially since its located on holy ground." She smiled, "You were the one who said I should start preparing myself."  
  
"It says you are to patrol and report the activities of the Evil Lord's minions. A Witch on Patrol?" Sirius grunted. "I mite dangerous, I should think."  
  
"It's a low profile job, one I need to regroup before I join in the fray again."  
  
Lupin rolled his eyes as Sirius continued to protest. He turned to Anne and asked, "Are you sure about this?"  
  
Anne nodded, "I guess so. "Looking at Lupin, she said wryly, " You forgot to read the part where I have to '...form an alliance with the Slayer.' That's where it gets interesting."  
  
"Wait... a Slayer? But that means..." Lupin started, his eyes widening. He shot a look at Sirius, also sporting a look of shock himself.  
  
Anne sighed, "Yes. I shall be transferring to the Hellmouth. " 


	3. Meeting the scoobies

Two.  
  
"What, pray tell, are we doing in front of a blasted magic shop?" A male British voice spoke from the backseat, his tone filled with customary English haughtiness. It would have seemed more intimidating if it didn't belong to a stuffy old German shepherd.  
  
Cassie, a Siamese cat, yawned beside him. "Oh, stuff it, Henry, you old man ... er, dog. Why don't you go to sleep? The silence would be so—oo welcoming for a change." She smiled sarcastically at the big dog.  
  
"You, my dear, wouldn't know the meaning of 'silence' even if it bit you in the nose." He replied in a dry tone.  
  
"Oh yeah?"  
  
"Put a cork in it, you two." Anne sighed exasperatedly. " You've been bickering nonstop ever since we flew over Kansas."  
  
Hannah, her white owl, chuckled beside her, continuing with her knitting. It was a wonder her feathered wings were able to hold the knitting needles in a firm grasp. Anne knew the fact that her feathers were enchanted enough to be used like real hands helped in this interesting hobby.  
  
If somebody happened to listen in on their conversation, one would think they were a normal family ... of sorts. Henry, Cassie, and Hannah were all enchanted animals, blessed with human voices in order to interact with their owners. They found each other in an Animagi convention in London several years ago and the four have been inseparable since. The three animals joined in all of Anne's travels, always making their home with her.  
  
"I have to make a quick stop before we move on to the house. I've run out of scented candles and incense." She got out of the black convertible. " I'll be right back."  
  
Funny how a magic store was strategically located in Sunnydale. Considering it being the Hellmouth and all... She thought as she entered the large shop. Maybe they could help her locate her old friend, learning that Ripper was the new watcher for the Chosen One. Tinkling bells announced her arrival. She hoped the shop wasn't about to close up. It was getting pretty late actually.  
  
A large dark-haired man, wearing a black trench coat over his blue shirt and dark brown pants, hesitantly greeted her with a brooding stare. A tingling behind her neck told her he was not of the human variety, more of the vampire species. However, she couldn't feel evil vibes from him. Hmm ... interesting.  
  
"Can I help you? "His deep voice rumbled forth, causing her to tilt her head at one side at the intriguing softness in his tone.  
  
"Uh ... yes. I.. I suppose. I was looking for ... uh.. Scented candles. And incense." She couldn't help stammering as she stared at him.  
  
Angel looked at her curiously, noting her English accent. He led her to the vast array of colorful candles in various shapes and sizes. "Here you are." She looked like a normal woman in her early twenties, with her yellow halter-top and white jeans. Still ... There's something strange about this girl...  
  
He glanced back at the far side of the store where the training room was built. He could still hear Giles' droning voice, indicating that the Watcher was still doing the Yoda-style meditation. They should be done any minute now. He can't wait to take Buffy out to patrol and ... whatever came after. He grinned guiltily at his thoughts.  
  
Anne cleared her throat, causing Angel to snap back at her direction, " Yes?" He asked.  
  
"Where can I pay for these?" She asked, smiling slightly.  
  
"Oh. Let me help you with those. The cashier's over here..." He motioned with his head as he strode towards the cash register.  
  
Anne followed the large vampire, noting the round table in the middle of the room, several piles of old books that were strewn across it, and the red-haired girl who was deeply engrossed in her reading.  
  
"I didn't realize this was also a reading room." She remarked before facing the counter to pay for her purchase. "Do you sell books here too?"  
  
Unexpectedly, a familiar scent swept across her, causing her to do a double take as she saw who was waiting by the cash register. "Oh my God..."  
  
The blonde female gaped right back at her in shock. It took them a full minute before dissolving in shrieks of laughter, causing Buffy and Giles to come rushing out from the back in fighting mode. The sight of the two women in a happy hug allowed them to relax and look in curiosity.  
  
"Annie! Oh my God!" Anya rushed blindly towards her old friend, grabbing her in a warm hug.  
  
"Anyanka! You, old demon, you! What are you doing here?" Anne laughed in delight, her arms going around her old demon friend. "How have you been? It's been ages since we've seen each other!" She stepped back to look her friend over. "And you're looking good too. Where did you get this hideous orange dress?" She half-teased.  
  
"I know, I know. I look ridiculous in it." Tears started to form in Anya's eyes. "I missed you so much!" She grinned like an excited kid.  
  
Anne grinned back, oblivious to their audience staring at them in surprise.  
  
"Uh.. Anya ... "Angel looked from one woman to the other. He wore the same expression of utter confusion as Willow.  
  
"Oh. Angel, this is Anne Sinclair, an old friend from London." She linked an arm with Anne. "Annie, this is Angel, one of our resident vampires. But don't worry, he won't bite. He got his soul back."  
  
"Gee, thanks." Angel scowled at her, extending a hand to Anne.  
  
"A resident vampire?" Anne raised her eyebrows at him.  
  
"Annie?" A disbelieving voice called out from behind. Anne turned sharply at the sound, her blue eyes widening in recognition.  
  
Familiar brown eyes stared at her, drinking in the sight of her. They spoke of humble wisdom and intelligence. His mischievous features that caused much trouble back then were now tamed by time, weathered by experience. She smiled at him with a fondness that came from knowing him so well.  
  
"Ripper." She whispered, emotion weakening her voice. Shock at the sudden sight of her old friend rendered her legs useless at the moment.  
  
"Oh, God..." He walked towards her, his eyes misting. He wrapped her in a tight hug, tears spilling into his cheeks. She allowed herself to comfort him, rubbing her hands down his back in a continuous motion.  
  
After a while, Anne grinned and finally pulled herself from Giles hug. " Ripper, old boy. I may be a half-demon but I still need to breathe." She peered at him, "You look ... older."  
  
Giles chuckled, raking his hand across his brown hair, "Thank you for the kind observation, O demon friend of mine. And you look ... the same. Still beautiful as ever." He replied sincerely.  
  
"You two know each other?" Anya interrupted, amazed.  
  
Anne grinned, "Yes. His folks were friends of mine. I watched how little Ripper here grew up in the proper care of his guardians in London, just like how a true gentleman should have."  
  
"She was my Godmother." Giles smiled self-consciously.  
  
"Really?" Anya asked excitedly.  
  
"Just how old are you really?" Angel asked, scratching his head.  
  
"Yes, I'm his Godmother. And I'm 219 years old." Anne answered with a grin..  
  
"Whoa, whoa. Back up a minute. "Buffy finally spoke, walking purposefully towards the trio. "Care for introductions, little Ripper?" She asked sweetly, her tone belying a message of impatience.  
  
Giles cleared his throat, "Uh ... Annie, this—this is Buffy Summers ..."  
  
"The resident Vampire Slayer." Anya supplied.  
  
"... uh... Willow Rosenberg..."  
  
"The resident Witch."  
  
".. and of course, you've met Angel." He smiled slightly.  
  
Anne shook hands with the two girls, smiling cheerfully. " It's a real honor to meet you, Buffy Summers. I've heard a lot about you."  
  
Buffy grinned back, "Really?" She blushed, pleased.  
  
Anne paused when she greeted Willow. "You're a witch? " She asked curiously.  
  
Willow nodded, "Yes. I'm Wiccan. Well, at least trying to..."  
  
Anne smiled warmly, "I'm a witch myself. Although Wiccan Magick isn't really one of my fields of study."  
  
"Really?" Willow asked, intrigued.  
  
"Annie's a really very good witch. Had a lot of years studying and practicing it." Anya remarked with pride for her friend. "You had a triple PhD right?"  
  
"Wait. A demon-witch?" Buffy asked.  
  
Anne corrected, "Actually, it's five PhD's now. Professor Dumbledore kept insisting that learning should never stop."  
  
"Five? "Willow's jaw dropped.  
  
"That is pretty unusual." Angel mused. "What kind of demon are you?"  
  
Shooting a nervous glance towards Giles, Anne replied, "Uh, I'm not really the kind of demon that could be found in Watcher's books..."  
  
"That's because the Watcher's Council was unable to study her kind. She was... is protected by the Ministry of Magic." Giles added.  
  
"Ministry of Magic?" Angel asked perplexed.  
  
"Another Council?" Buffy whined.  
  
"No, Buffy. This.. council is more powerful than the .. er, Watcher's but they are also extremely protective of their identity. Only a few ... know of its existence." Giles explained. "In fact, I believe that an American Ministry of Magic also exists."  
  
Anne nodded, "Yes, there is. Each country is assigned one to make international correspondence easier."  
  
"Oh. Ok. So, then?" Buffy turned to Anne, prodding her to go on.  
  
Anne continued, "To keep a long story short, I'm what is called a direct hybrid of a vampire and a slayer. My father was a vampire while my mom was the slayer at that time. They were brought together by love and that's where I came to being." She half-smiled at their look of complete amazement.  
  
"Oooh... that sounds so romantic." Willow gushed.  
  
"No... that's impossible..." Angel murmured, shaking his head.  
  
"I'm afraid it's true." Anne said apologetically. "I'm sorry for shocking you and all, but ..."  
  
Willow grinned, "I think you more than shocked them with your revelation, Annie." He patted Buffy's hand comfortingly.  
  
Giles looked shocked. He sputtered, "But that.... That isn't in—in the Watchers' journals..." He took off his glasses then started cleaning them out of habit, "This is... bloody hell."  
  
Buffy seemed to be in a trance. Vampires could breed? No way...  
  
Anne caught the look that passed between her and Angel and smiled inwardly. So that was how it is between you two. This was getting to be more interesting than she thought.  
  
Shaking her head off this brand new issue, Buffy glanced at her watch, commenting airily, "Listen guys, I'd like to stay and chat but Angel and I have patrolling to do. How about I take a rain check?" She began to shrug into her black leather jacket, throwing a meaningful look at her partner.  
  
"Are you staying at a hotel?" Giles asked Anne as he handed Buffy her backpack of weapons.  
  
Anne shook her head. "No, I'm moving here permanently. Giving myself time to recuperate from my last assignment and take on a new job."  
  
"A job? Doing what?" Anya asked, frowned.  
  
"A Witch on Patrol. Oh, before I forget, Ripper, I have a letter for you. It's from the American Ministry." She extracted a long white envelope tucked into her back pocket.  
  
Buffy paused from her preparations to glance sharply at Anne.  
  
"Witch on Patrol?" Willow asked curiously. "What's that?"  
  
Anne hurriedly assured them, "I'm not here to replace the Slayer or anything. "She grinned at Buffy's rueful look. "I'm just here for added reinforcement or secondary research resource. The energy here in the Hellmouth can attract a lot of bad wizards and witches."  
  
"Tell me about it." Buffy grumbled.  
  
" I could also help with things concerning Hellmouth activity, but otherwise, I'm supposed to fade into the background." Anne shrugged. " It's just a quiet job actually."  
  
Giles finished scanning the contents of the letter and then carefully folded it back into the envelope and tucked it into his pants' pocket. Turning to Buffy, he said, "You better do your patrol now, Buffy. I have to close the shop in a few minutes. Anya could you flip the sign by the door?" He began to clear the books on the round table into neat piles.  
  
"Ok. See ya guys!" Buffy waved goodbye as she and Angel exited the shop.  
  
Anne bit her lip. Ripper was obviously mulling over the news the letter contained. She didn't know how he was going to react at the information of her true purpose here, as such was the news the letter held.  
  
Giles finally turned to her and whispered in a low voice, " I won't be mentioning this to anyone. This will be kept in strict confidence. Trust me."  
  
She gave a slight nod. Extracting a piece of paper from her pocket, she asked him, "Well, then, can you help me find this address?"  
  
Glancing at the written address, Giles exclaimed, " That's in Buffy's street!"  
  
Willow looked over his shoulder, "Not only is it in Buffy's street, it's the house next-door to Buffy's."  
  
"Could you take me there?" Anne asked eagerly.  
  
"Sure. I'll be dropping Willow at the University dorm anyway. We'll just stop by your place first." Giles grabbed his car keys and coat before heading for the door. "Anya, I'll be back in a few minutes."  
  
"I'll be doing the accounting." Anya gave him a mock-salute before turning and giving Anne a hug.  
  
"Why don't you stop by tomorrow for coffee or tea?" Anya asked.  
  
"We'll see. I'll send you an owl." And with a last squeeze, Anne and Willow walked into the cold night air.  
  
"You'll send an owl? "Willow laughed.  
  
Anne grinned, "It does seem unconventional but that's how we magic folks communicate."  
  
"It sounds pretty old... WOW! Is that your car?" Willow's jaw dropped at the sight of the black convertible. "This is ... " Words failed her.  
  
Anne grinned at her reaction. " I bought this during one of my travels. Pretty, isn't she?"  
  
"Oh yeah." Willow grinned, sliding her hand on the car's sleek form. Then a frown entered her features. "Was it too expensive to ship this from England?"  
  
Anne shook her head. "Not at all. I didn't ship this from back home. I drove it all the way here."  
  
At Willow's dumbfounded expression, Anne explained, " I had to go through the International Toll way then traveled across the US continent. It was a very long drive. Took me almost four hours."  
  
"How..." Willow asked in confusion.  
  
Giles laughed, as Willow's expression didn't change, "You have to understand, Willow. Folks like Anne are used to having enchanted possessions." Turning to Anne, he said, "I take it when you said drive, that meant you flew?"  
  
Anne nodded. "Of course. Don't you have flying cars here?"  
  
Willow replied, still in awe, "Not that I know of." She gazed at the beautiful black car. "So that's why you arrived at night. Trying to avoid the traffic, huh?" She joked.  
  
"I guess you could say that. Want to ride with me?" Anne offered.  
  
"Oh, yeah." Willow nodded vigorously, jumping on the passenger's side. Noticing the sleeping animals, she remarked, "You've got a lot of .. uh, animals here."  
  
"We prefer to be called family, madam. If you don't mind." Henry's aristocratic voice sounded with righteous indignation from the back.  
  
Willow stared with wide eyes at the speaking dog, not knowing how to react.  
  
Anne sighed, "Oh shut up Henry." Turning to Willow, she grinned, " Enchanted animals."  
  
"Hey, there Henry." Giles grinned at the canine.  
  
Henry suddenly grinned widely, "Ripper! What brings you here? It's been a long time, old boy."  
  
"I live here, old timer. Well then, I – I guess I'll meet you at Revello Drive then." Giles said, opening his own car door.  
  
"Okay. See you, Ripper." And with that, the black convertible rose into the sky with nary a sound as it sped off into the night. 


	4. Dinner invite

three.  
  
"It was so beautiful, Buffy! You should have seen it. We streaked across the clouds just -- just like in the movies and.. and she had these, like, really cool talking animals. They were enchanted, she said. Then she was a real whiz in .. in the unpacking stuff... She had all of her stuff in these three trunks. Oh! And she uses a wand, which is pretty weird. She says it makes her magic more focused..." Willow gushed as she and Buffy walked leisurely across the street where the Magic Box was located.  
  
Buffy grinned at her friend's excited chatter. When Willow gets like this, there was no knowing when she'll be able to stop.  
  
"... and then she just gave this little wooden wand a wave and all her stuff from the trunks just.. appeared and arranged themselves throughout the rooms. It was so fantastic! She had this state-of-the-art entertainment system. And she had a white grand piano, the one she inherited from her grandma. Oh, and she had this really great, great, great library at the attic..." Willow almost drooled at the memory of it.  
  
"Okay, drool alert, Will. "Buffy teased. She laughed at her friend's embarrassed expression. "Only you would get excited at the thought of dusty old books."  
  
A thought suddenly came to mind, causing Buffy to groan softly, " I almost forgot! Mom bumped into Anne at the mall the other day. Anne ended up inviting her and the rest of the gang for a dinner party. Mom even made her famous chocolate cake. We were supposed to go over to Anne's place tonight and give her a big 'Welcome to the neighborhood' greeting or something. Wanna come with?"  
  
"You wouldn't mind?" Willow asked, a hopeful expression in her face.  
  
"Of course not! Giles, Anya, Xander, and Angel are coming too. You could bring Oz if you want." Buffy offered.  
  
Willow grinned, "Okay. Wow, this is just like a.. a big official Scooby welcome. This is so much fun." She clapped her hands like an excited child. "But what about Spike? Shouldn't he be included too?" She amended, "You know... since he—he's fighting with the good guys now."  
  
Buffy shrugged, "I could invite him, I guess. If I get to see him today."  
  
Arriving at the shop, Buffy spied the bleached blond vampire lounging by the cashier counter, in all his black duster glory. She sighed dejectedly, "Speak of the devil. Now I have no choice but to ask him." I hope Angel won't get too mad.  
  
"Hey Slayer. Red. Any new nasties come to town?" Spike greeted lazily as he watched their approach.  
  
Buffy snorted, "The only nasty I know of at the moment is in front of me... and I couldn't even dust him." She slumped on a stool. "Oh, woe is me."  
  
"Tut, tut, Slayer. You shouldn't say things like that. Hurts my delicate feelings and all." He smirked.  
  
Willow grinned, "Delicate? Try nonexistent."  
  
Spike raised his eyebrows in mocking indignation, "I would have you know that even us soulless demons are capable of feeling... something."  
  
"Oh yeah? Well, feel this!" Buffy poked him on the stomach. Hard.  
  
"Ow! Dammit, Slayer! Tha' hurt." Spike rubbed his sore stomach.  
  
Angel suddenly stepped out of the training room, grinning at the girls' teasing of his childe. "Hey there..." He whispered as he wrapped his arms around Buffy, pulling her into a welcoming kiss.  
  
"Hmmm..." Buffy smiled languidly, her lips lingering on Angel's.  
  
Spike sighed, shaking his head, "Red, make them stop. Please. Such loving sweetness makes me heave."  
  
Willow patted him on the back, "What happened to the feelings you were talking about?"  
  
"About to go out the window." was his deadpan answer.  
  
Willow laughed as Spike continued to groan as his Sire continued to kiss Buffy senseless.  
  
Finally Buffy reluctantly pulled away, facing a bored Spike and grinning Willow. Turning to the peroxide vampire, she said, " Hey, Fanged fiend... we're having a 'Welcome to the Neighborhood' gathering later for my new next-door neighbor. Wanna join the gang?"  
  
Spike looked surprised at the sudden invitation. He asked cautiously, "Okay, I'll bite. What's up with this, and how is it going to affect me?"  
  
Buffy sighed impatiently, "Look, William. We just thought that maybe you'd like to hang out with us. No strings." She grinned teasingly, "Besides, a vampire in touch with his feelings, such as yourself, should never have to spend too much time on his lonesome."  
  
Willow nodded, "Could result to mental derangement."  
  
"Hah!" Angel coughed to hide his sarcastic laugh at Buffy's pointed glare." Too late."  
  
Spike chuckled, "Izzat so? Who's the chit?"  
  
Buffy replied, " Her name's Anne Sinclair. She just moved here from London."  
  
Now why does that name sound so familiar? Spike wondered. Hell, you git. There could be hundreds of Anne Sinclair's. Probably heard it on the telly.  
  
"And ...?" He prodded, instantly knowing that there was something more to this than a simple welcome wagon gathering.  
  
"... aaand," Buffy paused dramatically, "She's going to be our second resident witch." She added as a thought came to her. "I guess she could double as a watcher and slayer of sorts, don't you think?"  
  
"I don't think so. She said she'd rather fade in the background..." Angel reasoned.  
  
"Yeah, but she said she could still help if we needed it. Besides, she's half-slayer and half-vamp. She'll be a really formidable ally." Willow pointed out.  
  
Spike raised both arms to stop their conversation, "Stop, stop. I got lost for a minute there. What do you mean she's half-vamp and half-slayer? Last time I heard, we were off the 'potential daddy' list."  
  
"Technically, no." Willow answered. "Anne had a book in her library about this particular topic. It was a really old one, mainly parchments of hastily documented research done by the Magical council on her condition. It was kept in her family, for years. I was able to borrow it and spent the better part of last night poring over it."  
  
"Magical Council?" Spike arched a brow.  
  
She extracted a large hardbound compilation of yellowish paper from her bulging backpack and quickly opened it to the page indicated by her bookmark.  
  
"It's just amazing, really ... Here it is. It has a lot of technical wordings but basically, it says that male vampires have slimmer chances in getting a mate pregnant than what is normal for humans. Although this chance slightly increases if the woman is not entirely human. Be it a Slayer or a demon of another kind."  
  
"What about female vamps?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Well, the book says that although male vampires have the slight chance to impregnate, their female counterparts can't carry a child." Willow explained.  
  
"So we could still get to have our little juniors as long as we shag a demon or a slayer?" Spike asked, interested.  
  
The other three shuddered at the thought of having little Spikes terrorizing the whole of Sunnydale.  
  
Buffy grabbed the book and quickly scanned its contents. She pointed out another information it held, "Technically, yeah. You can have your little boy blue... but not of the vampire variety." Slamming the book shut, she added, "And judging from what we've seen of Anne, looks like only certain traits are inherited. Probably no demon."  
  
"Thank God." Angel mumbled inaudibly.  
  
"How come no one knows about this? Shouldn't there be chronicles or something at the Watchers Council?" Spike frowned.  
  
Willow shrugged, "Anne said she was the only one of her kind. The book said that it would be a very difficult thing to pull off. But her parents were able to do it."  
  
"And the fact that we don't normally seek out slayers, or other demons, for mating purposes, nobody would have been able to discover this possibility." Angel said thoughtfully.  
  
"Does Giles know about this?" Buffy asked.  
  
Willow nodded. "I stopped by earlier to inform him of this. He was as shocked about this piece of information as we are."  
  
Spike suddenly laughed. All three looked at him strangely as he tried to explain between bouts of mirth, "Slayer, I think yo--you and my dear old Sire should consider using ... con—control mea...measures ..." He choked before bursting into uncontrollable laughter.  
  
A look of realization dawned on them. Buffy turned beet red while Willow fought back a laugh. If vampires could blush, Angel would have his face flaming too.  
  
"Ooh... This is priceless! A vampire, using contraceptives..." Spike hooted.  
  
Angel growled, "Shut up, Spike."  
  
"Oh, my God! He's right, Angel. I never thought about it that way last night. What if...if..." Buffy turned her anxious eyes on her lover.  
  
Angel searched her eyes before pulling her close, " Don't worry. We'll just have to take extra measures now that we know it can be a possibility." He murmured so only she could hear.  
  
"But would it be so bad? " Buffy suddenly asked, her expression wistful.  
  
Angel wrapped his arms around his slayer, "Of course not. But we have to make sure we could straighten out our commitments first before we even think of raising little Buffy here." They both closed their eyes at that beautiful thought.  
  
Giles chose that moment to poke his head from the training room's doorway and interrupt their poignant moment, "Buffy! We have work to do!"  
  
Buffy sighed. She gave her loving vampire another lingering kiss before extracting herself from his embrace. She glanced at the still laughing Spike, "Hey, funny vamp, you still coming with us later?"  
  
He shrugged, a wide grin on his face, "Oh, Hell. I don't have anything better to do anyway. I want to meet this vamp hybrid too. What time should I be there?"  
  
"We'll be meeting at my house at sunset." She turned to walk towards the training room for her session with Giles, "Oh, and don't forget to be your usual charming self. Wouldn't want to scare her away."  
  
Spike looked at Willow and Angel, "Scare her? Now why would I do that?" He asked innocently, chuckling as the two rolled their eyes at him.  
  
He had a feeling that life, and unlife, just got a lot more interesting at the Hellmouth.  
  
**************** 


	5. Remembering

Four.  
  
"What do these Americans do at housewarming parties?" Anne was wringing her hands as she paced restlessly at her living room. Cassie and Hannah sat relaxing by the sofa while Henry snored by the throw rug.  
  
Cassie looked in fascination at her mistress' pacing, "Annie, what are you so worried about? It's just a party."  
  
"No. This is my first housewarming dinner party. Ever." Anne finally sat on the plush beige sofa, sighing deeply. "And to think I've been around for more than two centuries..."  
  
"Did you prepare anything?" Hannah asked without looking up from her knitting.  
  
"Of course I did. I baked chocolate brownies, apple pie, blueberry cheesecake and chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. There's also honey roasted chicken, broiled salmon, grilled pork chops, lasagna, macaroni salad, mashed potatoes, pudding, and gravy. I even got several bags of chips and some onion dip." She counted of from her mental list. "Do you think that's enough?"  
  
Cassie burst out laughing, "Honey, you had better lie down and relax. If you get any more nervous, I'm afraid what you might do... or in this case, cook, next."  
  
Anne groaned, "I'm turning into a nervous wreck! I'm never like this. I don't get jittery, and fidgety, and ... I need to take a shower. I smell like ... food." She bounded hurriedly upstairs, trying to quell her nerves.  
  
This was just a party, the cat said. It's been a long time since I hosted one. There wasn't much time and reason for having parties before. I'm afraid I'd just botch it up... Anne sighed as she stepped into the warm welcoming spray of water.  
  
As soon as she finished, she now faced another problem: what to wear.  
  
"Oh, help." Anne groaned as she stared at her carefully hung clothes. She wanted to make a good impression, since their whole group would be coming tonight. She was grateful for Ripper and Anya's presence, though. Willow, too. They could help ease the tension somewhat.  
  
Closing her eyes, she randomly picked a couple of hangers and held it in front of her as she faced the mirror before opening her eyes. She was able to pick a red sleeveless velvet top and black bootleg jeans.  
  
It'll do.  
  
Or maybe the yellow frilly blouse would look better ... no, the blue one! Or the purple...? Aaargh!  
  
The doorbell suddenly rang. She almost jumped as she crammed one leg on her jeans. "Henry!!! Could you please get the door?" She yelled at the top of her lungs, hopping on one foot.  
  
Downstairs, Giles and the others chuckled as he heard her yell. Haven't changed a bit. Giles thought fondly.  
  
Spike whispered, "Are you sure she's safe?"  
  
Giles shot him a pointed look, "Please refrain from making comments about my godmother. I'm quite fond of her."  
  
"Me, too." Anya piped in, giving Spike a glare of her own.  
  
The door suddenly opened, stopping all conversation. The silence seemed more deafening as they saw the German shepherd smiling at them from the doorway.  
  
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Please come this way, if you please." The dog stepped back for the group to enter.  
  
Inside, everybody could hear Cassie's acidic admonition, "Oh, stop with the stuffy old butler gig, Henry, you git!"  
  
Henry's reply was succinct, "Sod off."  
  
Giles took the liberty of warning the others of Anne's true lifestyle. Including her magical pets.  
  
Giles grinned, "Hey there, old chap."  
  
The dog acknowledged him with a nod and grin, "Ripper."  
  
Willow grinned fondly at the dog, "Hello, Henry." Glancing at the living room, she spied the cat and owl, "Hey, Cassie! Hannah!" They beamed back at the redhead.  
  
Henry grinned at her, "Hey there, cutie."  
  
Spike drawled, "Oh, goody. Talking animals." Under his breath, he muttered, "It's a bloody circus."  
  
"Dawnie, don't touch that!" Buffy grabbed her younger sister's arm before she did any damage. "There are lots of enchanted stuff here."  
  
"I was just looking at it." Dawn rolled her eyes at her sister's paranoia. Her eyes widened as she approached a large wall where portraits were arranged. "Oh, wow... moving paintings?!"  
  
The others approached eagerly. Buffy exclaimed, "This is so amazing! "Her eyes almost bulged out as a knight took off on his horse, waving as he rode on across the line of paintings. "They could jump from one painting to another! "  
  
"Buffy, Dawn! Will you be quiet and sit down?" Joyce Summers narrowed her eyes in warning, silencing the bickering siblings.  
  
Giles sighed as the group settled themselves in the living room, interacting with Anne's pets. Suddenly he heard Anne's footsteps as she jogged down the stairs.  
  
He grinned at the sight of his harried friend, fresh from the shower.  
  
"Hey, you guys." Anne paused to catch her breath. " I'm sorry it took me a while." She smiled at the gathered people. " I see you've already met my pets."  
  
Joyce stepped forward, holding a cake box. "Yes, and they are simply ...enchanting." She grinned. She held the box to Anne, " I'm Joyce Summers. These are my daughters, Buffy and Dawn."  
  
Anne accepted the box with a big smile. "Oh, Buffy and I already met yesterday." She gave the other girl a warm smile, and then Joyce and Dawn a firm handshake.  
  
Joyce beamed, "Well, in behalf of everyone, I would like to welcome you to Sunnydale."  
  
"You mean, the Hellmouth." Xander joked.  
  
Giles, seemingly forgetting his English reserve, placed an arm around her shoulders and grinned, "Annie, this is Xander Harris," Anne eagerly shook his hand, "...Daniel Osborne..."  
  
Anne cocked her head to one side, "Hmm... I can tell you're not what you seem."  
  
Oz smiled, "Yeah. Caught me." He took her hand in a firm grip, " I'm a true-blue werewolf. Call me Oz."  
  
"Oh, hey, cool! One of my best friends is a werewolf too. Maybe someday I could introduce you to him." Anne related with a warm smile.  
  
Oz grinned, " That'll be great."  
  
Giles continued, " ...and Spike, our other resident vampire." He gestured towards the suddenly silent vampire.  
  
Anne turned to the said vampire and almost forgot to breathe.  
  
Those eyes... lips, cheeks, eyebrows...the hair is different though...  
  
But they all seemed so familiar. No, it can't be. It was just a coincidence. A remarkable coincidence. He was... gone. She saw him ... at his final resting place... No!  
  
Dawn remarked, "Why so silent, Spike?"  
  
They all looked at the unusually quiet vampire and saw the look that passed between him and Anne. Nobody could ignore the sudden tension as the two stared at each other.  
  
Spike felt like he was in a full body bind spell, ever since Anne Sinclair step into the room. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Her long silky black hair flowing around her shoulders, her beautiful blue eyes alit with laughter, her skin silky smooth, her sexy curves revealed by the tight fitting top and the snuggest pair of jeans he had ever seen... He felt himself growing hard as he stared at the English beauty hopping down the stairs, teasing his rapidly aroused state with naughty thoughts.  
  
She immediately brought another image to mind, that of a woman of his past. A face that only haunted him in the rarest of moments. A face that he knew would have found her peace a long time ago. Unless...  
  
Impossible.  
  
Buffy giggled softly as she whispered in a singsong voice to Angel, " Uh- oh. I think Spikey got hit by a little heart arrow..."  
  
Angel whispered, laughter evident in his voice, "Close you mouth, Spike. You're attracting flies."  
  
Anne gave herself a mental nudge and broke eye contact. She made a show of clearing her throat before announcing, "Well, since everybody's here, we can get dinner started. The dining room's this way." She started to walk towards the back, each of the Scoobies following behind.  
  
"What's up with you?" Oz whispered to Spike. "You look like you've seen a ghost."  
  
"Looks like it..." Spike muttered, still feeling disconcerted.  
  
Buffy gave Angel a stage whisper, "Told you he got hit by Cupid's arrow..." She smiled mischievously.  
  
Before Spike could give a scathing reply, Anne suddenly appeared and ushered them to their seats. The others continued with their conversation with the fascinating witch as they settled around the large rectangular oak table. Spike ended up sitting on one end of the table, facing Anne who sat at the other end.  
  
The food smelled marvelous and mouth-watering, and then some. Their eyes widened unbelievably at the amount of treats Anne prepared.  
  
Joyce looked at Anne in surprise, "Anne, you didn't have to prepare all this. Pizza would have been just fine."  
  
"Oh, wow. A feast!" Xander quipped.  
  
Anne smiled shyly, "I didn't really know what to do. Besides, cooking has been a real passion for me. I enjoyed it." She replied reassuringly.  
  
She glanced at Angel, carefully avoiding Spike's intense gaze. "I even got blood wine delivered for Angel and ... and Spike. I have a friend from Chile who specializes in making those. It's amazing how he keeps the blood from coagulating." She grinned nervously. "Don't worry, the human blood was donated voluntarily. Were paid handsomely for it too."  
  
Angel smiled back, "Thanks."  
  
Spike picked up the vintage bottle next to his wine glass, inspecting it carefully, "Hmm... classy stuff. I've heard of these..."  
  
"So shall we? "Anne interrupted, "Dig in!"  
  
For the next hour and a half, easy flow of conversation and good- humored eating dominated the room. The Scoobies got to learn much about Anne's life as a first-class witch and Anne listened to their fascinating adventures at the Hellmouth. Anne felt right at home, surprisingly, with these people.  
  
"... acted like a cavewoman all night! It was so scary..." Xander laughed, along with the rest of the group, "Sure was the last time I ever saw Buffy drink anything alcoholic."  
  
" Thank you, Xander, for relating one of my most forgettable escapades." Buffy huffed. Arching a brow, she gave him an evil grin, " Or maybe Anne would like to hear about that time you became butt-monkey to the great Dracula?"  
  
Anne almost choked on her drink, "You guys met Dracky?"  
  
Spike raised an eyebrow at this, " Dracky?" He looked at her in amusement.  
  
Angel nodded, "Yeah. You know him?"  
  
"Well... yeah. "Anne said thoughtfully, "He.. uh, tried to .. to ..." She mumbled incoherently, suddenly feeling shy.  
  
"He... what?" Giles prodded.  
  
Anne felt her cheeks flush, " He tried to seduce me. Said that powerful women turned him on. Followed me around for about two years while I was doing some work for the Ministry. He was a right old loony, if you ask me." She grimaced as the others began to laugh. "It was creepy ... in a funny way, I guess."  
  
"Can I say 'eew'?" Dawn grimaced. She yelped when Buffy poked her side.  
  
Spike chuckled, "Drac had the hots for you? I wish I could have seen that. It must have been priceless!"  
  
"Well, it wasn't much fun having that weirdo appearing in a mist while I took a shower or having him snooping around with my underwear." Anne sighed in mock resignation, "It was worse than having a stalker!"  
  
Buffy had a faraway look in her eyes. "He wasn't that bad, right? He had these really intense, penetrating eyes ..." She happened to see Angel's narrowed look and hastily amended, "...uh, that made me do really really crazy bad, bad stuff. Ok, I'll shut up now."  
  
The others continued to laugh and joke around as they moved on to after-dinner drinks. Anne pointed her wand at the dining table and commanded, "Clean up." And almost immediately, the plates floated towards the sink. The rest of the kitchen cleared itself up, much to amazement of the guests.  
  
Dawn had a glazed look, "Mom, can we invite Anne over for dinner every night?" Anne laughed as Joyce clucked her tongue at her youngest daughter.  
  
They left the dining room and settled back in the living room. They asked her about her life as a half-demon, her work and even her family.  
  
"Do you have that..." Dawn asked curiously, gesturing at her face, " ... ridged forehead and yellow eyes?"  
  
Anne shook her head, sipping from her wine glass. " No, pet. But I did inherit my father's vampiric senses and strength. Combine it with my mother's abilities, well ..." She shrugged.  
  
Buffy looked awed. " Oh, wow. You mean you're like a super slayer/vamp type?"  
  
Anne explained, "Uh, not really. You see, my magical powers has evolved and increased tenfold for the past century. It takes practically half of my strength to control it." She grinned teasingly at Buffy, "Don't worry... you can still kick my ass."  
  
"Could you teach me some of your stuff?" Willow asked eagerly.  
  
Anne cocked her head to one side, "I guess I could. But I don't teach Wiccan magic. That's more of the muggle-invented stuff than real magic. Real wizards and witches don't need tedious rituals for the magic is already within. If you are truly a witch, you should see manifestations of your power every time you perform a spell."  
  
Xander asked, "What's a muggle?"  
  
"Non-magic folks." Came Anne's answer.  
  
Willow nodded, "Most of my spell have worked. Well, most of them anyway."  
  
Anne added, "You'll be needing a wand then. I suppose the Magic schools here are rather dormant. You should have received an invitation to one when you were still young." She related. "That is how most of the witches and wizards I know started from. Even You-know-who."  
  
"You-know-who? Who's he?" Buffy asked.  
  
Anne replied, smiling wanly as she tried to cover for her slip-up. " Oh. Uhm...let's just say, he's an old mortal enemy of ALL peace-loving magic- folks. Really, really dangerous. Nobody even dares speak his name, ergo the moniker."  
  
"You're on the run?" Dawn queried.  
  
"I guess you could say that."  
  
"Why doesn't your council help you nail this You-know-who?" Giles asked, confused.  
  
"Much preparation is still needed. I was one of his latest victims after his rebirth. And I'm not yet fully recovered from our last stint." Anne sighed wearily.  
  
"What did you teach back in the Magical school?" Willow asked curiously.  
  
"In Hogwarts?" Anne replied, her tone suddenly guarded, "I... I taught defense against the dark arts for more than a century. In between terms, I did some work for the Ministry and even the Council of Watchers. Then I quit. That's about my whole teaching history."  
  
"Just where is this Hogwarts? I've been around England and I haven't seen nor heard of its existence." Spike questioned skeptically.  
  
"The Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry is located in the mountains of Scotland. It's been concealed from non-magic folks. To outsiders, all they'd be able to see was a large vacant lot at the west side." Anne explained. "We're very serious in keeping our world from the muggles. Violators of the Statute of Secrecy are punished accordingly by the Ministry."  
  
"Is that where you met Anya and Giles?" Dawn asked.  
  
Anne shook her head, "No. I met Anya back in Italy, around the 1920's, I think. I met Ripper and his family when I came back to the Old country after my travels. You see, I worked with two other slayers before, one during the mid 19th century and the other around 1900. Anyway, I became friends with his parents and I watched Ripper grow until he left for his Watcher studies." She shared a reminiscing smile with Giles.  
  
Angel and Spike shared a stunned look. Looks like another connection to their grand history.  
  
"You've worked with Slayers before?" Buffy asked in surprise. " But what did the Watcher's Council say about that?"  
  
"A lot, actually. But they really couldn't do anything about it back then. They needed help; I provided it. But their Slayers still died so young. Even I couldn't prevent it." Anne had a hard look on her face.  
  
Joyce commented, "I can't get over how you look so young. For someone who's over two centuries old, that is."  
  
Anne laughed softly, " Actually, I was able to tap into my immortality during my early twenties. An old wizard I consulted at that time said that in order to guarantee if I indeed inherited my father's immortal side, I had to die first."  
  
"Die as in ...die?" Willow asked in a hushed tone.  
  
"Yeah." Anne grinned. "But I won't bore you with the details. I'm sure you're not that interested in the blood-and-guts story."  
  
Xander raised his hands in agreement, "Hear, hear!"  
  
Spike chuckled, "Speak for yourself, whelp."  
  
"Seems you were doing pretty well at Hogwarts. Why did you leave?" Anya asked in her usual bluntness.  
  
Giles looked at Anya sharply. She simply sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, willing for the images in her mind to leave her in peace, even for a while. She opened her eyes and replied in a controlled voice, " I didn't make that decision lightly. A lot of things happened to bring me to make this decision. Things that shouldn't have happened in the first place. I thought a change in scenery would be good."  
  
"So why leave if you had everything going for you there?" Spike asked in a peculiar tone.  
  
Anne remained silent for a few moments. She tried to control herself, unwilling for these strangers to witness her pain. But as she raised her head to look unflinchingly at the questioning vampire, she was unaware of the wealth of emotion that was revealed in her blue eyes.  
  
Spike sucked in an unneeded breath as he saw the raw emotion in her eyes. Emotions that he knew she hadn't meant to let slip.  
  
"Why should I continue a job that cost me everything I had?" She whispered, her voice full of unspoken grief.  
  
Joyce was the one to interrupt; sensing a change in atmosphere was in order... fast. "Well, Anne, it has been a pleasure. I hope we could do this again some time. But I'm afraid we have to be going now, with it being a school night ..." She smiled apologetically.  
  
Quicksilver. Anne was like quicksilver, shifting from one emotion to another in a blink of an eye. She smiled cheerfully, welcoming Joyce's effort, "I would like to thank you, too. For being nice and all." She hugged the older woman warmly.  
  
The others then followed suit, saying their goodnights and farewells. They all stepped outside into the night air, still talking and joking with her.  
  
Anya smiled as she hugged her, whispering, "I'll have Xander drop me here one of these days. We could talk about old times, okay?"  
  
"Sure. Just ... ring me." Anne grinned, as she watched the two lovebirds walk towards Xander's car.  
  
Buffy hugged her next, "Hey, maybe you could join me for patrol one of these days if you get in the mood. Having company would be nice..." She grinned saucily at her.  
  
Anne teased, "But you already have Angel to keep you company, don't you?"  
  
Buffy grinned conspiratorially, "Well, I really couldn't get him to have girl talk with me, could I?"  
  
Anne laughed at Angel's scowl, "Okay. I'll be around." She waved goodbye to the Summers girls and Angel.  
  
Willow, Oz and Giles were the last ones to leave. " Maybe we could get together and try doing some spells? Small stuff only, I promise. Nothing biggie. It'll be fun." She smiled. "Or you could drop by the Magic Box and help with the researchy stuff for Giles."  
  
Giles smiled, "Or we could just do some of the research here, with your extensive library and all." He teased.  
  
"Oh, you two. Just go. I'll be seeing you around. And, Willow? I'll see about getting you a wand." Anne laughed as the three walked down the walkway and towards Oz' waiting van.  
  
She closed the door, a contented smile on her lips as she whispered, "Hah! I did it."  
  
She practically skipped towards the kitchen, checking if the dishes were properly put away when a sudden movement on her right caught her eye. She cautiously peered at the sitting room where the grand piano was kept, her heart almost stopping at the sight. She almost forgot about him.  
  
He must have sneaked out of the living room and spotted the piano as they said their farewells. Anne frowned as she watched the vampire. He sure had a lot of nerve.  
  
Spike was lightly running his fingers across the piano keys, playing softly with his eyes closed. Anne reluctantly listened as she drank the sight of him at her piano, a strange knot forming in her stomach. He continued to play, seemingly unaware of her presence, caught up in the music he was creating. The music washed over them both; enveloping them in a blanket of pleasure so magical that they felt bereft once the last note pierced the air.  
  
There's something about the way he played that reminded her of...  
  
Spike looked and saw Anne standing by the doorway. He smiled, well, smirked really. He stood up and walked in a predatory fashion towards her. He gave her a challenging look before drawling, "Did you like it?"  
  
Anne raised her right eyebrow in a questioning look, " Yes, of course. It was beautiful..." She cocked her head to one side and added, " But I'm afraid the others have already gone. And it is well past my bedtime..." She trailed off, giving him a pointed look.  
  
Spike chuckled," It's alright, pet. I know I should go now." He leaned over and kissed her nose. "See you around."  
  
Then he walked past her and out of the front door, the soft click of the door closing indicated he had already gone.  
  
Anne stood rooted to the spot.  
  
He kissed me?  
  
*******************************  
  
Spike entered his crypt, his footsteps sounded heavy amidst the silence of his home. He plopped down on his worn moth-eaten armchair, his thoughts swirling around his tired mind. He grabbed the remote control and switched on his beloved television. He stared at the figures flitting about, his mind elsewhere.  
  
He felt disoriented. He didn't know what to make of his confusion. And he felt restless more than ever.  
  
It was that woman's fault.  
  
She made him do something he had avoided since Drusilla left him years ago. She tapped into his inner being, silencing the demon in him and touched him in a way that he never knew was possible. Her pain reached out to him, unwarily seeking comfort in a demon.  
  
She made him feel again.  
  
Buffy and the others always laughed and joked about his so-called emotional side. If they hadn't seen him with Dru, they wouldn't have believed he was truly capable of emotion.  
  
But he was.  
  
And now, he wished he didn't.  
  
Anne drew certain emotions within him that he thought he had an iron- lock on. She dragged them back to the surface, making him feel things he thought he would never feel again. Emotions so raw that made his time with Dru seem like a picnic.  
  
He was ... brooding. Just like his frickin' Sire.  
  
He snorted, shaking his head as if to clear it. He changed channels to distract him from his line of thought when he suddenly found himself staring off into space again. He just couldn't shake the feeling that he already met Anne from another time...  
  
He felt like he knew her a long time ago... ages ago...  
  
Anne.  
  
Could it be...  
  
Nah.  
  
But how was it that she seemed ... familiar somehow?  
  
Stop it.  
  
London. Could it have been near ...  
  
Shut up. No more thinking.  
  
It was a long time ago...  
  
... and stranger things have happened...  
  
Will you give it a rest?  
  
Anne Sinclair... was she related to ...  
  
Oh no.  
  
Damn! That's it!  
  
He jumped up and headed towards his hidden wooden trunk of mementos acquired through the years. He rummaged inside, looking for something. A few minutes later, he found a small box and with a triumphant smile, he moved back into his armchair to examine its long-forgotten contents.  
  
The small box contained a single white lace handkerchief. A worn, age- old white lace handkerchief. Spike stared at it as a wave of memories flooded him.  
  
He remembered her dainty fingers as they held this piece of cloth across her lips to hide her feminine smile. He remembered how her waist- length black hair flowed with the wind as she walked beside him. He remembered her twinkling blue eyes as she teased him about his serious nature. He remembered her tinkling laugh... her heart-stopping smile... her sweet nature ...  
  
He remembered everything.  
  
Oh god... Spike sat up abruptly. He remembered.  
  
How could he have forgotten? How could he have been so stupid?  
  
Annie...My Annie... 


	6. Realization

five.  
  
Ding dong...ding dong ...  
  
"I'll get it!"  
  
Buffy hopped down the stairs to answer the door. She peeked through the window; a wide welcoming smile grew on her face. She opened the door and greeted the guest in an eager fashion, "Anne! Come on in. Willow and I were just thinking of dropping by your place. Things are soo-oo boring today." She whined.  
  
Willow came bounding down the stairs, smiling widely at the sight of Anne.  
  
"Oh, hey! We were just thinking of dropping by..."  
  
Buffy interrupted her, "I already did that, Wills. So..." She turned to the amused Anne. "What do you wanna do this afternoon?" She moved towards the living room, plopping down on the couch.  
  
It's been five days since Anne last saw her two new friends. She spoke hesitantly, "Well, I really came over to ask for your help."  
  
The two friends looked at her in surprise.  
  
"About what?" Willow asked.  
  
"I need to go shopping. The only muggle clothing I have is only good enough for a week. I didn't bother much with these since we wore teaching uniforms back in Hogwarts." Anne explained nervously. "But its okay if you guys have other things to do...maybe I should go." She nervously stepped out.  
  
"Hey, wait! We'll help you." Buffy grabbed Anne's arm before she walked out the front door.  
  
Willow clapped her hands like an excited child, " Oooh! This is going to be so much fun!"  
  
Buffy agreed, chuckling, "Yeah. Do you have a limited budget?"  
  
Anne grinned shyly, "Not really. Exchanging Galleons into muggle money got me a rather tidy sum. Let's just say, we won't be having a problem there."  
  
Their eyes turned wide at this, their minds reeling at the possibilities. " Oh, wow... shopping heaven!" Buffy sighed.  
  
Willow grabbed her coat and ushered the others through the door, "So, what are we waiting for?"  
  
**************************  
  
"Angel?"  
  
Spike entered the old mansion in his usual boisterous fashion. He plopped down on the large brown couch by the living room, giving the musty old room a disdainful look. He shouted again, impatience ringing in his tone, "Angel, you poof! Where the bloody hell are you?"  
  
Angel roared back, his voice coming from the closed bedroom door, "What the fuck do you want? I'm busy!"  
  
Spike replied, irritated, "I need to talk to you. About something."  
  
After a few minutes, his angry sire finally emerged from the bedroom, half-naked and holding a large book he was obviously intent on finishing. Angel scowled darkly at the smirking younger vampire, " What is it? Talk fast."  
  
Spike sighed, his annoyed look melting suddenly, "It's Anne."  
  
"The English witch?" Angel frowned.  
  
Spike nodded, "Yeah. I can't believe I never realized it before... She was always talking about her old home in London. But I didn't know she was also immortal..."  
  
"Spike, you're not making any sense." Angel sat next to the confused vampire.  
  
Spike paused, trying to regroup his wayward thoughts. He spoke again, his voice controlled, "Angel, do you remember the night you changed me? The night of the party?"  
  
Angel's eyes took on a shade of guilt and sorrow, "Of course. I've never forgotten. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Anne was there."  
  
Angel's eyes looked at him blankly at first before comically growing wide as the proverbial saucers. He stammered, "What... why... how—how..."  
  
Spike raked his white-blond hair with trembling hands. He replied in a ragged tone, uncharacteristic of his normally arrogant self, "I still can't believe it m'self. She was my best friend, Angel! We knew each other since we were kids. It all seems so unbelievable to find her alive after all these years..."  
  
Angel saw in his mind's eye a beautiful black-haired nymph dancing gracefully with Spike's pre-vamp self, William. She circled through the crowd, her hand tucked in William's arm, chatting and charming most of the men around the room. A thought came to him, "Was she there when ... I, uh... when we..."  
  
Spike shook his head, "No. She left early that night, right after I told her about my betrothal to Elizabeth. Said she had work to do, with her constant traveling and all." He closed his eyes, "Thank God for that."  
  
Angel fell silent. Spike was obviously feeling confused and weird about the whole thing. He knew he would be if he discovered that a link to his past was still living at present.  
  
Angel placed a comforting hand on his childe's knee, "How do you really feel about this?"  
  
Spike sighed wearily, "I don't know. Truth to tell, I don't think I could bring myself to tell her about this. She was my anchor back then, my bloody sounding board! And I was her's as well. We were soul mates. I don't want to change the memory she has of me once she discovers my true nature. I don't want her to be hurt and disappointed... by me. And I ---I don't want to feel like the monster that I really am before her eyes." He dropped his eyes during his sudden confession.  
  
Angel looked dumbstruck. He couldn't believe what he just heard. Not from Spike. The soulless demon. He isn't supposed to feel an honest emotion, ever. He almost sounded ... human.  
  
As Buffy would say, this was way too wiggy.  
  
But didn't you see how he was with Drusilla? An inner voice argued. He put up with that psycho for close to a century! Why?  
  
Because he loved her.  
  
Spike was different. That, Angel knew for a long time. Even during the time when he was his former homicidal self, spreading chaos and ruin throughout Europe.  
  
He saw how Spike was still able to feel and control his emotions, sans soul. This fact went against everything he knew about the vampiric nature, yet he had a feeling this was not a complete impossibility. Maybe Spike was another special case, just like Anne Sinclair was.  
  
"So, what are you going to do?" Angel spoke softly, leaning back on the couch.  
  
Spike glanced sideways at him and shrugged, "I have no idea."  
  
*******************  
  
"So how long have you and Anya known each other?" Buffy began in a conversational tone as they each searched through the long racks of clothing at the local department store.  
  
Anne paused thoughtfully, a yellow sundress on her hand, " Well, we met during the late 1920's. That was the year I met Dracula... brrr.." She shuddered.  
  
Willow chuckled, "Way creepy, huh?"  
  
"Uh-huh. I bumped into Anyanka at an Italian restaurant. Actually, she bumped into me while I was trying to escape that fanged pillock. She helped me out, then we just sort of ...clicked." She shrugged, grabbing a hot pink/electric blue/sunny yellow/striking orange-colored halter top.  
  
Buffy shook her head empathically, "Not that. Definitely a no-no. Even I wouldn't wear that!"  
  
Willow nodded, "Not unless you want to be a vampire menu's everyday special."  
  
They headed towards a long rack of jeans, skirts and shorts. Buffy suddenly asked as she perused their choices, "How about Giles? You guys seem pretty close."  
  
"That we are. "Anne smiled fondly. "Martha and Frank, Ripper's parents, were old friends of mine. I met them the summer I returned back to my old hometown for a vacation. Ripper and I were good chums back then, before he got lured into the Watchers Council. We practically lost contact after he went off. And with the strained relationship between me and the COW, we rarely crossed each other's path."  
  
"I never really cared much for the Council myself. A bunch of stuck- up assholes." Buffy huffed.  
  
"Hey, hey! This would look so great on you!" Willow exclaimed, holding a red jumpsuit with a revealing neckline.  
  
Buffy agreed, her eyes inspecting the piece of clothing with practiced ease. "Oh, yeah... this would really help you catch a particular someone's attention..." She remarked in a sly tone.  
  
Anne saw the knowing glance that passed between the two friends, eyeing them warily, "What are you talking about?"  
  
Willow held the jumpsuit in front of the confused witch, "What Buffy means is this could make a certain bleached-blonde's eyes pop out, his nostrils start smoking, and his jaw dropping AWOOGA-style."  
  
Anne eyes widened, " Bleached-blonde? You mean, Spike? Why'd you think that?"  
  
Buffy snorted, "Come off it, Sinclair. I saw the way he looked at you the night of the big dinner party. He looked so..."  
  
"Turned on?" Willow supplied absently as she continued her search through the racks.  
  
Buffy grimaced, " Thank you, kind madam, for that delicate description. Our dear Spike aka William the Bloody looked really hot under the collar that night."  
  
Anne frowned at the moniker, "William? Spike's real name was William?"  
  
Willow nodded, "Yeah. I think it was William Thornton, if the records could be trusted. You know how those old dusty books are..."  
  
William Thornton.  
  
William Thornton?  
  
My William?  
  
Was it possible...?  
  
"What year was he turned?" Anne asked faintly, her vision blurring alarmingly.  
  
"Are you okay? You look a little pale." Buffy asked, concerned.  
  
Willow frowned in concentration, " They said it was around late nineteenth century in North London. Probably early 1800's, I think. It was during his engagement party, or so the chronicles said."  
  
Oh... my ... god...  
  
Before Buffy or Willow could do anything, Anne's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell in an unconscious slump on the cold unyielding floor.  
  
********************  
  
"Wait. Back up a bit. So, you're saying that you're ashamed of being a vampire? After all this time?" Angel asked in a skeptical tone.  
  
Spike raked his hands through his perfectly combed hair, "No! I mean ... yeah. Uh... not really... oh hell!" He ground out. "I'm living a different kind of life now. This is what I bloody am; I can't do anything about it. I've learned to accept it, live it, and even love it. I just don't want to ruin Anne's image of what I was once... what William was once. I don't want to see her look at me with disgust, or horror, or..."  
  
"Spike, "Angel began, "Anne is a half-vampire and half-slayer. It's a little bit on the late side for you to shield her from the dark side, such as our kind."  
  
"Yeah, but still..." Spike half-protested.  
  
"No buts. You know, you've been acting like a first-class idiot lately. I don't know why we put up with you at all. But then again, that's nothing new." Angel attempted to get a rise out of the dejected vampire. " But from what I can see, the two of you were given this one chance to gain back what you once had. Few get to have this rare opportunity. So I want you to take your sorry ass back to Anne's and tell her the truth. Now."  
  
Spike fell silent. He seemed lost in a world of his own, his mind set on rewind, replaying every wonderful scene of his past with his raven-haired bestfriend. It seemed like an eternity before Angel interrupted the other's reverie.  
  
"Don't you think you should give her the benefit of the doubt here? I'm sure she'll be really glad to know you're ... you."  
  
Spike heaved a big sigh. The poofter was right, as always.  
  
"I guess I've been acting strange, is all. Probably inherited your brooding nature, old man." Spike grimaced, bouncing back to his old irritating self.  
  
Angel sighed wearily, rubbing a hand through his eyes, "Spike..."  
  
"Thanks for the help, mate. I knew there was some use we could find for your poofy ways..." Spike jumped to his feet, casually walking towards the door while grabbing his trusty anti-sun blanket along the way.  
  
"Spike..." A threatening note in the growl.  
  
Spike snorted, "The way you were yapping about back there, you sounded like a bloody nancyboy wanker! Wait, You are a bloody nancyboy wanker."  
  
Angel roared, "GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"  
  
"My pleasure, Oh Poofy Master." With a loud laugh, Spike walked out the door with a happy bounce to his step.  
  
Angel half-groaned, half-sighed. Trust Spike to turn a simple "Thank you" into an insult-fest.  
  
Idiot. 


	7. Rekindling

six.  
  
"I ... am ... not ... "Buffy puffed as she delivered lethal punches to the hapless newly-risen vampire with each furious word. "...a brainless ... twit!" She plunged her stake at the end of her tirade, growling all the while.  
  
Anne chuckled, "Who ever said you were?"  
  
"My high and mighty philosophy professor! 'Wee 'ave no room fo' such inane comments and deesturbing behavio' insoide this classroom, yo' brainless twit.'" She mimicked her old British professor.  
  
"Oh god, that's an awful accent!" Anne grimaced. She placed both hands on her hips and glared, "We don't talk like that!"  
  
Buffy laughed, "Yes you do!" She teased.  
  
"No, we don't." She snorted.  
  
"Yes, you do!" Buffy taunted. "You do, you do, you do!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." Anne rolled her eyes.  
  
A sudden growl interrupted them. Two burly vampires were charging towards them, a crazed glaze of hunger in their yellow eyes.  
  
Anne stepped back, bowing graciously, " I leave you to your work then, Madam Slayer. I'll go and wait by that tree."  
  
Buffy nodded, facing the vampires with an aggressive stance. She finished them off in less than ten seconds, dusting off her pink jeans as she moved towards Anne.  
  
They started to walk around the quiet cemetery. "I saw Spike the other day."  
  
Buffy glanced sharply at her. "Did you finally talk to him?" She asked curiously.  
  
"Well, yeah. It's been two weeks since that episode at the mall, so I was afraid I would freak out if I talked to him." She shrugged. "I bumped into him while I was walking home from the north cemetery. We exchanged greetings. But that's about it." She looked at the Slayer with wide eyes, " I don't think I can do it."  
  
Buffy shook her head. "Of course you can! All you have to do is say, 'Yo, William! It's me, your best friend Anne!' and things would fall in place."  
  
"Buffy, "Anne sighed. " It's not that easy. Things are more complicated now."  
  
Buffy cocked her head to one side, "Oh, fine. I guess you're right." She said in a thoughtful tone.  
  
"I know I'm right." Anne replied emphatically. "He's a vampire now, I'm a witch with a dark past. We both have skeletons in our closets, mine are probably worse than his. I don't think this would be the time to renew old acquaintances. Especially now that I still have this problem with an old mortal enemy. This might become too dangerous for everybody. I don't want to jeopardize your lives, even his, before I worked this out."  
  
"Don't start on that. We're a team. We're here to help each other out. End of discussion." Buffy replied firmly. "Besides, what you just said doesn't make any sense. Isn't that supposed to bring you guys closer than before? Those skeletons you were talking about should be enough to establish a bond between you two."  
  
Anne shook her head, "No. I don't think it would. Times have changed; we've both changed. We're not the same Anne and William that once shared dreams, hopes and fears back then. I doubt we would be able to regain the same closeness we once had."  
  
A soft rustling from behind the shadowed bushes halted their conversation. Buffy placed a hand on Anne's arm, her eyes indicating for her to step back.  
  
With a few wary steps, Buffy peered to inspect the darkness for any signs of attackers when a black-clad body fell from the thick area of bushes, bloody and moaning.  
  
Spike.  
  
"Oh, my god! Spike! What happened?" Buffy hurriedly went to the wounded vampire, carefully checking for broken bones as she helped the vampire sit up.  
  
Spike coughed, blood spurting from his lips. He replied with one painful breath, "Demons."  
  
Buffy shot a worried look at Anne, noting the pallor in the other girl's face, "Anne, could you help me bring Spike to his feet? We have to get him out of here or the bastard who did this might still be out here looking for him."  
  
Anne jerked into motion, assisting the vampire on his other side. She closed her eyes, stretching her senses around them. She silently cast a searching spell, trying to locate the said demons. What she found sent a cold chill run down her spine. "It was no ordinary demon. "  
  
Buffy looked at her sharply, "What? Who did this?"  
  
"They're gone. It was a whole pack of Death eaters, followers of my archenemy. We have to get out of here. There's no telling what they might do if they sense my presence here." She looked at Spike and swallowed, "Let's take him to my house. It's safer there." She resisted the urge to use magic to teleport them to her home.  
  
Buffy nodded. The two of them easily carried Spike's heavy body, walking briskly for the last hundred meters or so until they finally reached Anne's residence.  
  
Henry answered the door quickly, surveying the scene at the door with shocked eyes. They gently deposited the unconscious vampire on the living room couch.  
  
"I'll go get the first aid kit." Anne hurried towards her bedroom.  
  
"Can I use your phone? I have to call Angel at the mansion." Buffy rubbed her arms nervously as she looked at Spike's still form. "I have to tell him what happened."  
  
"Okay. You can use the one at the kitchen." Anne called out from the top of the stairs.  
  
Anne finally returned, carrying a large toolbox. Buffy joined her, informing the witch that Angel was on his way.  
  
A wince sounded from Anne as she inspected the extent of Spike's injuries. His face was a mess, bloodied and badly bruised. One eye was practically closed from the swelling; his lower lip was split open and bleeding. Long gashes, cross burns and whip marks decorated his arms, legs, chest, and back. He didn't appear to have any head injury, nor were there any serious fractures or spinal problems. From the looks of it, the worst of the damage was a couple of broken ribs and sprained wrists. It looked like the demon responsible for this worked on him for quite some time. If anything, it was fatigue and exhaustion that made Spike collapse.  
  
They set to work on the sleeping vampire, cleaning and treating his wounds silently, each lost to her own thoughts. Anne applied the appropriate bandaging techniques on some of the large wounds and sprained injuries, knowing that Spike would not agree on going to the hospital for further treatment.  
  
A blanket was placed over his form, and it was then that Anne finally breathed easily. She looked achingly at her childhood friend's injured body and whispered, "How could they have done this? Why him? "  
  
Buffy placed a comforting hand on her trembling shoulder, "I don't know. But we're going to find out. Trust me." She looked back towards Spike and said in a soft voice, "Why don't you go and get him a hot mug of blood? He'll need it."  
  
Anne nodded blankly in agreement, moving quickly to the direction of the kitchen.  
  
A knock sounded from the front door. Anne moved to answer it, ushering a concerned Angel inside as soon as she opened it.  
  
"What happened?" He asked softly, stepping cautiously towards his childe. " Who the hell did this?"  
  
Buffy slipped an arm around his waist, feeling him trembling with restrained fury. "We don't know. All he said was 'demon' before passing out."  
  
"A demon?" Angel raked his unruly hair with one hand.  
  
"Well, yeah. But we didn't see anyone... or anything." Buffy explained. "I think Anne did some mojo thing and tried to see if we could locate it, but they were already gone." She added softly, "She knows who did this. Some group called the Death eaters."  
  
Angel sucked his breath, "Death eaters? I've heard of them once." He frowned as he struggled to remember some information about them.  
  
Spike suddenly stirred, his blanket half-slipping to the floor.  
  
"How is he?" Angel whispered as he sat down on a large sofa.  
  
Buffy sighed, "He'll be okay. All he needs is rest and blood." She looked at the sleeping Spike and remarked, "I think the thing that got to him the most was the exhaustion. He looks like he was tortured for hours."  
  
"We've got to find out who did this and why." Angel grated out, his voice low so as not to disturb the sleeping vampire.  
  
Anne quietly entered the room, a mug of blood on her hands. Her heart lightened at the sight of Angel's anger about Spike's condition. He truly cared about his childe, cared that somebody dared bring him to this state.  
  
She moved slowly to sit next to Spike, linking her fingers to his bandaged ones. She was oblivious to the knowing look the other couple shared, she only focused on her beloved sleeping vampire.  
  
"He'll be needing a place to stay." Angel whispered. He stood up and went over to Anne's free side. He clasped his hands together and continued in a gruff tone, "He can't go back to his crypt. Those who attacked him tonight might come back to finish the job."  
  
Buffy asked, "Did you call Giles and the others?"  
  
"No. But I'll probably drop by the magic Box tomorrow."  
  
"Maybe I can stop by..."  
  
"He can stay here."  
  
The couple turned to Anne, watching her pale face centered on Spike's still form. "Are you sure?" Buffy asked, a trace of concern in her voice.  
  
"Of course. I can't let them take him away from me like this." Anne blinked back her tears. "I won't let them."  
  
Angel looked relieved. "Okay. Spike will stay here with Anne. Buffy, you better go home and rest. We have a long day of research awaiting us tomorrow."  
  
Anne nodded and softly said, "Yes. Thanks for your help, guys."  
  
An unusually silent Henry quietly entered the room as the couple went to the door. He slowly closed the door and latched the lock with a soft click.  
  
A moment of silence passed. Cassie raised her troubled gaze and met Anne's teary ones, "You already know who's responsible, Madam?"  
  
Anne's replied was soft, but clear.  
  
"Voldemort."  
  
******************************************  
  
"Have you seen Spike since...?" Buffy asked softly. Angel nodded, his features stiffened. She and Angel were walking through the silent night two days later, putting a half-hearted attempt in patrolling. She weaved her fingers through his, squeezing his large hand soothingly.  
  
Angel sighed, "I know we always complain how annoying he is, but I can't help feeling responsible for him. He was my favorite Childe, sired him and taught him everything he knows. That a gang of wizards attacked him, outnumbered, doesn't fare well with me at all."  
  
Buffy nodded, "That was hardly a fair fight. "  
  
Angel laughed humorlessly, "Evil, no matter what form, never considers the fairness of its actions. It's all about power." He encircled his arms around her, drawing comfort in her strength.  
  
Buffy snuggled closer, sighing contentedly as they continued their patrol. She was about to suggest that they call it a night when a yellow light flashed from the old abandoned building behind them. It continued to flash from the inside as the ground suddenly trembled, creating small cracks on the pavement. The building seemed to sway dangerously then in an instant, everything returned to normal.  
  
She met Angel's dark eyes, nodding her head towards the said building. They crouched low and moved quickly towards the building's entrance. They climbed the stairs and hid in the shadows to conceal their presence.  
  
A group of monks in brown hoods were huddled in a circle, their hands linked as they performed a ritual. The swirling light surrounding them suddenly disappeared, causing them to rise in panic. One of them shouted in alarm, "She is here! There is no time to finish the protection spell! We must get out of here!"  
  
Buffy and Angel stepped out of the darkness, still observing as the panic-stricken monks gathered their things and made to escape the building. Buffy called out, making her voice heard over their fearful cries, "What the hell is going on here?"  
  
An instant hush stole over the huge room, the monks staring at the two intruders with wide eyes. Buffy moved towards the shock-still group and cocked her head, "What was that mojo all about? Did you conjure some beast by mistake?"  
  
Angel spoke quietly, "Why would you need a protection spell?"  
  
An old wizened monk approached and spoke with authority, "You cannot help us, Slayer. She has come for us, come to take the Divine Immortal entrusted upon us to protect. We must move now, or she'll find us."  
  
Buffy asked, "Who's the divine immortal?"  
  
The building trembled once more; the source of the quake now seemed concentrated behind one concrete wall. They all turned towards the source, both vampire and slayer poised and ready to strike if needed. All of a sudden, the wall gave way, crumbling away to reveal a beautiful blond woman in an extremely short red satin outfit. Her eyes were icy, her smirk full of malice.  
  
She drawled out, her attention on Buffy's rigid form, " Why Slayer, it's called the key. MY key." Her eyes narrowed to slits as she glared at the monks, "And I WANT IT. NOW!"  
  
Buffy and Angel barely had time to grab the old monk who spoke to them and run towards the side exit. Then all hell broke loose. 


	8. Research, libraries and owls

Seven.  
  
Spike slowly opened his eyes, albeit painfully ----- to be greeted by the open night sky. He quickly looked around to find he was indeed inside an unfamiliar bedroom, staring once more at the fairly realistic ceiling painting. Only it wasn't really a painting after all, as Spike noted in astonishment as he saw the stars twinkle, the clouds drift slowly with the night wind, and a lone falling star streak through the dark atmosphere. His eyebrows rose in wry amusement before letting his gaze roam freely around the room.  
  
It was a spacious bedroom, with a walk-in closet at one end and a large oak vanity at the other. An oriental changing screen was propped near the closet, while an antique full-length mirror was placed at a corner near the window. A flat-screen TV was fixed on one wall facing the bed to which Spike couldn't help but grin.  
  
Sure beats my old telly at home ... He tried sitting up, finding that most of his body was covered by bandages. He gingerly placed his feet on the floor and slowly stood to stretch his tense muscles.  
  
Looking around, he continued to figure out where he was and what he was doing here. Peering cautiously, he walked out and headed towards the end of the hall where a small glowing light beckoned to him.  
  
He approached the candle-lit room to find Anne in a deep meditative state. She was glowing, surrounded by a cone of protective energy. White candles were lit and floating around the room, the scent of sandalwood permeated the air, and a light breeze continued to circle about the room.  
  
He paused at the doorway, momentarily mesmerized by the sight of her. But then he stepped back, deciding to give her the privacy she needs.  
  
He continued down the hall and saw an open doorway with a beaded curtain. Overcame by curiosity, he held the bead strings and stepped inside the room. His eyes widened as he seemingly forgot to breathe. Whoa...  
  
A large room furnished with pastel colored furniture and new age décor greeted him. An iMac was situated at a wide oak desk in one corner, complete with a scanner, laser printer, and a complicated array of technological devices that must have been used for surveillance.  
  
But what caused him to drop his jaw were the seven rows of two-meter-wide, ceiling-high bookshelves that filled the rest of the remaining space. Each row consisted of another seven aligned bookshelves. The four walls that comprised the size of the room were in themselves bookshelves as well. The impossibility of fitting these inside a medium-sized room struck him in an instant. He walked slowly towards the bookshelves, sliding his hand on the smooth wooden surface in reassurance that he wasn't hallucinating. "How could these...?"  
  
"Wizard space. I've placed an enchantment on this particular room to make it more larger in the inside than what it would normally appear." A husky voice sounded from behind him.  
  
Spike swiveled to find Anne standing just a couple of feet from him. He nodded, "It's bloody amazing, this room. You've got quite a collection here."  
  
Anne smiled nervously, "What can I say? I love reading." She looked at him with uncertainty clouding her blue eyes before looking away, heading toward the plush white sofa.  
  
Spike sighed. It was time to confront the past. He knew they've managed to avoid each other for the past weeks but everything led to this moment. " Pet, how long have I been out?" Coward that he was, he decided to prolong the inevitable for a few more seconds.  
  
Anne answered, avoiding his eyes, "About three days now."  
  
He slowly approached the sofa, pulling a chair in front of Anne. He regarded her with an intense gaze that made her more uncomfortable.  
  
"Stop looking at me like that." Anne said in a commanding voice.  
  
His scarred eyebrow rose at this.  
  
"Sorry. But you were unnerving me." She took a deep breath and voiced out the question she was afraid to ask, "William, how did this happen?"  
  
Spike cocked his head to one side, "What do you mean, luv?"  
  
Anne clasped her hands to stop them from reaching out to caress the face she had longed to see once again. "I ... I thought I had lost you. To death. But now you're here... I've been trying to adjust to the fact that you're alive before I finally confront you about this."  
  
Spike ran a hand on his white locks, "I know. It's been a shock, it is."  
  
Anne raised her eyes to really look at him, their blue depths swimming in unshed tears, "Oh, William... I—I..."  
  
They were in each other's arms the next moment. Anne felt relief, happiness and contentment all at once, knowing that in William's arms, she was safe. No monsters would dare hurt her.  
  
Spike sighed as he wrapped his arms around Anne's trembling form. How he longed to do this the moment he realized who she was. It's been too long... he almost committed the mistake of forgetting her role in his life before. Her role in William's life.  
  
Several moments passed before either of them broke the silence. Spike spoke in a husky voice, "The last time we met... were you a witch already or..."  
  
Anne replied, "Yes. I was accepted at Hogwarts when I was 11. That's why we only saw each other during summers."  
  
Spike nodded. "Oh. That explains your traveling. When you said you tapped into your immortality, was that before or after..."  
  
Her blue eyes suddenly clouded. She pushed back from his embrace, her tone guarded, "It was right after your death. I—I guess it made it easier to go through the 'dying' part, with all the grief I was carrying that time."  
  
"I'm sorry." It was spoken quietly.  
  
Anne brushed off his concern, "It's alright. You're here now, so it's kind of a moot point."  
  
Silence filled the room again as they stared at each other's eyes for what seemed like hours. Years of separation were being bridged inaudibly, letting their eyes do the talking for once. Buffy found them after a few minutes, carrying several books, with the whole gang in tow. "Anne? How's the sleeping vamp... oops."  
  
She skidded to a stop as she took in the couple by the couch. " Sorry. Be back later." She muttered.  
  
Anne chuckled, breaking eye contact. "No, don't go. Spike and I were just reacquainting ... "To Spike, she whispered, "I forgot to tell you that Buffy called for a meeting here. She said I had some explaining to do and that she had some update on an upcoming apocalypse."  
  
Spike groaned, "Again?!"  
  
Soon enough, the large library was filled with 9 people, 4 pizza boxes and piles of old books and papers. Just as they were about to start the Scooby meeting, an owl swooped inside, carrying mail. It went straight towards Anne, promptly dropping the letter on her lap. The others looked goggle- eyed as she calmly opened the letter and read quietly.  
  
When she finished, a grim smile occupied her face. Giles asked her cautiously, "What's wrong?"  
  
"It's from Hermione, one of my students. Seems that the new Defense against the dark arts teacher was making their life hell." She sighed. " The new teacher is from the Ministry. She says the Ministry has decided to step up and interfere with Hogwarts business."  
  
Willow asked, "What's wrong with that?"  
  
"Well, for one, they don't believe that You-know-who has come back from the dead. And two, this will probably make Dumbledore and the Order's work a lot harder."  
  
"Back up, luv. What's the Order and who's Dumbledore?" Spike asked, confused.  
  
Anne chose her words carefully, "I can only tell you so much, as to not endanger your lives, although Ripper already knows some of the salient points." Giles nodded in understanding, his mind shifting to what he read in the American Magic Ministry's letter.  
  
"But then, I must start from the beginning." She then began to tell them of Voldemort's rise to power, the Order of the Phoenix, then Harry's role in Voldemort's downfall and resurrection.  
  
The amazing tale saturated the atmosphere with a somber air. Buffy asked in a hushed tone, "Just how old is Harry? What happened to him?"  
  
Anne replied, "Harry's just a fifteen year-old. But he's been doing fine, at least that's what I've heard from Hermione." She breathed heavily and continued with her story, "The moment Voldemort came back, and he started to wreak havoc. Especially in my life. First thing he did was wipe out my entire bloodline, human and wizard alike, right in front of my eyes." Her eyes became blank, the numbness suddenly settling once more within.  
  
But through the cold, she felt a comforting caress that managed to break into her walls. She turned to look into Spike's intense blue eyes, allowing the reality of his presence to bring her back. She gave him a faint smile of thanks, turning to the others to face their looks of shock and pity.  
  
Giles gasped out, "Your family? But that's... that's... Jason and Clarisse... Peter, Mark, Melissa and the children..." He closed his eyes as the enormity of it threatened to engulf him.  
  
An uncomfortable silence settled about the group. Anya broke the silence and asked bluntly, "How was he able to keep you down?"  
  
All eyes turned to Anne as she swallowed and replied, her tone wavering, " I was stupid enough to let myself be caught by one of the illegal curses, the Cruciatus Curse. It causes unimaginable pain to anyone who gets struck by it. While I was writhing in agony, I watched him give the killing curse to each of them. And as he was about to turn to me, I finally managed to break free. We dueled until members of the Order arrived and helped me out. Voldemort disapparated when Dumbledore arrived. Albus Dumbledore is the current headmaster of Hogwarts, and the only wizard that Voldemort was afraid of. At the moment, news about Voldemort's return is being treated with hostility, thanks in large part to the Ministry. It was bad enough that they refused to believe that Voldemort was responsible for my family's demise; they even resorted to slandering the good name of Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter. "  
  
"Sounds just like the good ol' Council of Wankers." Spike commented.  
  
Giles, for once, agreed with him, "Bunch of gits." He muttered.  
  
"The Hellmouth's energy must have attracted Voldemort. That may be why a number of his followers are here." Anne mused.  
  
Spike remarked, "I found them lurking about the old Sunnydale high school. Guess they were on some power trip 'cause they suddenly cornered me and started torturing my ass off." Anne squeezed his hand, her eyes conveying her worry.  
  
Just then, another owl swooped in and dropped another letter on Anne's lap. She frowned as she read the letter, "This one's from Sirius. They were supposed to have been keeping watch over the Death eaters back in England. But they've just received word that Voldemort has sent a small group here at the Hellmouth, in order to deal with business. He sent this letter to warn me." She looked at Giles, "What could he have meant by 'business'?"  
  
"Your guess is as good as mine." He sighed wearily. He turned to Buffy, nodding for her to give her report. " Now that we have dispensed with Anne's revelation of Spike's attackers as well as the imminent danger that may befall us, it's your turn to tell us of the next apocalypse we have to deal with on top of everything else."  
  
Buffy sighed, "I'm sorry but we found out some really disturbing things while Angel and I were patrolling last night. We found a group of monks hiding at an abandoned building. A nasty blonde arrived and started pounding them for information about a key. We managed to ditch the bitch and save one of the monks." She looked at Angel for guidance, the next part of her story was obviously harder to relate.  
  
Xander piped up, "What did the monk-man say?"  
  
Angel continued, holding Buffy's hand as he did, "He said he and his brothers hid the key in the form of a human and sent it to the Slayer for safekeeping. He said that Glorificus, the blondie, was a goddess from the hell dimension and that she has been searching for this key for years now. What this key was for, we can only imagine."  
  
Buffy spoke softly, her head bowed, "We figured the key could be..."  
  
"Dawn." Anne breathed, knowing instinctively her guess was correct.  
  
Willlow looked at Buffy in concern, "What? Is this true?"  
  
Buffy remained silent, prompting Angel to answer, "I'm afraid it is. The monk confirmed this."  
  
Oz asked, "Does she know?"  
  
"Yeah. She noticed the weird way I was acting around her. Then she eavesdropped on my conversation with mom. She became hysterical. I felt really awful..." Tears were starting to streak down Buffy's cheek. "I mean, how would you feel if you learned that the memories you had for the past 15 years were just a lie?"  
  
"Hmmm... Glorificus..." Her brow knitted in deep thought, Anne asked, "When did the monks perform their ritual?"  
  
"Six months ago."  
  
Anne nodded. She suddenly got up and went towards the bookshelves, muttering. Giles spoke up after a few moments, "Did the monks say anything more about this Glorificus?"  
  
Buffy shook her head, "Only that she was sent here as a punishment."  
  
Anya spoke up, "Well, if this hell-goddess wanted the key, maybe it's her way out of this world and back into her own dimension."  
  
Willow smacked her forehead, "Of course! That's why it's referred to as the key!"  
  
"Stop calling Dawn an it! She is not a thing. She's still my sister!" Buffy said coldly.  
  
"Sorry, Buffy." Willow and Anya looked properly chastened.  
  
"Ahh, yes. Of course. Anyanka, you were correct in assuming the key's main purpose. I knew I had this book lying around somewhere." Anne came back from the shelves, lugging a huge black book, dropping it on the center of the table. "I bought this one time at Diagon Alley for a bit of recreational reading."  
  
Angel raised an eyebrow, "Recreational reading?"  
  
She ignored him, "It says here that three beasts, Glorificus being one of them, ruled the Hell-dimension. They were once a powerful Triumvirate. But she was banished into this world because of her extreme cruelty and greed for power. They sent her to exist in this lower plane, forever cursed to live among mortals. She was not granted the right to her own body, but was instead destined to share the body of a chosen human." She frowned, "Oh. It doesn't say if it was a male or female."  
  
"Well, we'll just have to find out who the human host is." Buffy said in a resolved manner, her lips tight. "She's not about to get her slimy hands on my sister!"  
  
A sudden scream sounded off from Buffy's house, causing them to abandon everything and scramble off.  
  
It was Joyce's scream. 


	9. Thinking happy thoughts

Eight.  
  
"MOM! What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Buffy rushed to her mother's side. The others looked on in concern.  
  
Joyce was sobbing, "It---it's Dawn. She---she..."  
  
"Where is she? What happened? "Buffy cried.  
  
"She ran away." Her mother whispered brokenly.  
  
Buffy's eyes widened, whispering, "What? When?"  
  
"She---she left this." Joyce handed her a letter. Buffy opened it furiously, quickly reading its contents then turned to the others.  
  
"We have to stop her. She can't have gone far." Buffy said in a hard voice. She told her mother, "Mom, stay here. We'll handle this. Spike, stay on guard, in case Dawnie decides to come back."  
  
Spike nodded, "Okay, Slayer."  
  
Buffy turned to Anne, "Do you have something we could use to speed up the search?"  
  
Anne nodded, extracting her wand from the back of her jeans. She flicked it and commanded, "Accio brooms! "  
  
Three wooden broomsticks flew straight towards them, straight from Anne's attic window. Tossing Giles her car keys, Anne said, "I only have these three, but we could use my car as well. Giles, you drive my car and search to the north. It has a disillusionment charm in it so it won't be spotted in the air. Buffy, Willow, grab a broomstick. Let's go."  
  
Giles, Angel and Oz climbed on the black convertible and in no time, they were soaring off into the night. Anne gave the two girls quick instructions in broom flying. She conjured three black robes, directing them to don one in order to blend in the night darkness.  
  
As they were about to fly off, Spike called out softly, "Be careful, luv."  
  
Anne turned and gave him a small smile, "Don't worry. We'll be back soon."  
  
"Bring back my baby." Joyce whispered, leaning on Spike for support.  
  
The three of them kicked off from the ground and soon, they were soaring several feet above Sunnydale. Buffy and Willow soon got the hang of flying, making smooth swerves and turns as they went. "I could definitely get used to this." Willow exclaimed.  
  
"Let's split up. We'll get to cover more ground that way." Anne shouted.  
  
Buffy nodded, moving towards the south direction. The two witches each took the last two directions, scanning the ground carefully for a wayward runaway teen.  
  
It was Willow who first found her. Dawn was huddled in the middle of a circle of hooded figures, cowering in fear and too terrified to scream for help. Willow concentrated hard and focused on sending Anne a message. I found Dawn! We need help! Hurry! She focused to send her thoughts to the other witch, unaware that the hooded figures sensed her and were now gathering beneath her.  
  
The cold came so suddenly. Willow felt her energy being drained from her body, the darkness suddenly swallowing her wholly. The shadowy creatures held their heads up towards Willow, reaching their arms out as if to embrace her fall. She fought against the shadows, struggling against the fierce cold and misery that enveloped her. Voices started to sound off in her head, taunting... screaming their disgust... harassing her... cruel laughter...  
  
Anne and Buffy arrived just in time to see Willow start to fall. Buffy sped towards her falling form, lunging forth to catch her before the black creatures could grab hold of her. Anne turned furiously at the hooded shadows and shouted, "Expecto Patronum!"  
  
A brilliant figure of a unicorn galloped towards the dark figures, causing them to back off. The unicorn continued to charge on them until it finally drove them away, carrying the cold darkness with them. As the darkness disappeared, so did the bright unicorn.  
  
Buffy slowly floated down, carrying the unconscious Willow. She laid her friend on the soft ground, slightly tapping Willow's cold cheek to wake her up. She looked up to see Anne gently approach the shivering Dawn, still cowering in fear.  
  
"Dawnie? It's me, Anne. Shhh... it's alright. Everything's fine." She crooned, her arms encircling around Dawn as the young girl grabbed her around the waist and held on for dear life.  
  
Willow started to come around, shivering as she sat up. Buffy rubbed her arms comfortingly as her friend fought her tears. She turned to Anne and asked, "What were those things?"  
  
"Dementors, guardians of the wizard prison Azkaban."Anne replied in a soft voice, yet her tone held a steel edge to it. "They've abandoned their duty and now have joined Voldemort. Evil can be seductive to dark creatures such as those."  
  
"God! My head hurts." Willow groaned, her eyes taking on life once more. "I could hear screaming and ... and awful images swirled around my mind..."  
  
"Cold. Cold as death. The pain, the dark was unbearable. It was as if I could never be..." Dawn choked, still sobbing in Anne's arms.  
  
"That you could never be happy again?" Anne supplied for her. She turned to Buffy's concerned gaze and explained, "It's what Dementors do. They suck out the life force of everything around them, leaving their surroundings miserable and devoid of happiness."  
  
The wind swirled around them, making them look up and find Anne's car hovering directly above them. Giles settled the car on the ground, noting their pallor. "What happened?"  
  
Anne shook her head, "We'll explain later. Bring these girls home, quickly now. I'll do some rounds on my broom and make sure everything's safe." She nudged at Dawn, leading her towards Buffy who was standing uncertainly by the car. "Go on. She's still your sister, after all. If not by blood, then by fate."  
  
Dawn nodded then made a beeline for her sibling. Anne smiled as the two sisters hugged, a warm feeling stole over her chest. Everything's right in their world again. For now.  
  
************************************  
  
"HOW DARE THAT SLAYER MEDDLE WITH MY AFFAIRS? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FIND MY KEY NOW?" Glory ranted, throwing and smashing everything she could grab into an unyielding wall. She grabbed one of her minions by the neck and screamed, "I HATE THIS DIMENSION! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! I WANT MY LIFE BACK!"  
  
The small female minion swallowed then hastened to calm her mistress, "Your most gracious Glorificus, there is no need to fret. We will find your key and you shall return and rule the hell-dimension once more. The Slayer will simply be a nuisance you could easily get rid of. She is no match to your power and beauty, O most wonderful Glorificus."  
  
Glory seemed mollified somewhat. She released her trembling minion and continued to pace around the room, "You're right. You're absolutely right. "  
  
She walked towards her overflowing closet, absently inspecting each article of clothing. She muttered, "Where could those stupid monks have hidden my precious key? "  
  
The air crackled at once with magical energy. Glory frowned, surprised at the audacity of the creature that was producing this. She raised her eyebrows as a loud crack exploded and four black-hooded men appeared before her. Her good-for-nothing minions cowered behind the large sofa, peering inconspicuously at the sides.  
  
One man stepped forth and gave her an evil smile, "What would you need a key for, if you could make use of your power in this world?"  
  
Glory replied haughtily, "And who might you be? I have no need for human visitors at this time of night." She licked her lips, "Although, I guess I could make use of a midnight snack." She advanced threateningly.  
  
The men stood undaunted. "That is not necessary. I shall prove that our proposition is most beneficial and highly attractive to a powerful goddess such as yourself."  
  
Glory stopped, her interest piqued. "Proposition?"  
  
The man removed his hood and faced her squarely. Lucius Malfoy smirked and said in a sardonic tone, "Why don't we discuss it over tea, hmmm?"  
  
**********************************  
  
Two weeks have passed since the incident with the Dementors. Life had pretty much gone back to normal for everybody, or rather, as normal as it ever could be for them.  
  
Anne managed to blend inside the Scooby gang, routinely alternating for Giles in training the young Slayer. She worked alongside Angel in training the Slayer during patrols, testing her resourcefulness and reflexes. She and the vamp helped Buffy tone her instincts and senses, helping her anticipate a series of attacks before they were carried out.  
  
She also took it upon herself to educating Willow, whom she discovered possessed great talent in potion making and showing hints of the makings of a great Charm master. They even drove her convertible one night into London to buy a wand at Ollivander's, the only reputable wand shop Anne knew of. On impulse, she even bought brooms for the redhead, Buffy, Dawn and even Anya. Anne explained that these could very well be used in emergencies, as demonstrated the night Dawn attempted to run away.  
  
Owls continued to come and go, carrying letters from various members of the Order, written in heavy code so as not to be deciphered easily. Hermione also kept a running report on the goings-on in Hogwarts, causing her to feel guilty for abandoning her beloved students at this time of uncertainty. The young girl also related how Harry still harbored resentment at her for leaving so suddenly, making her feel all the more guilty for doing so.  
  
One day, an unexpected package was dropped off via the owl network. Anne discovered that her old African friend, one she had met during her travels, had finally sent her the spell she has long been searching for. It couldn't have arrived with greater timing, though it would require several more days of work from her. No matter, she would have to shift some of the load on Giles and Angel to work on this special project. She intended to perform it as soon as possible. And for that, she would have to enlist Buffy, Willow and Anya's help...  
  
Through all that was happening, she and Spike managed to find the time to renew the bond between them. Anne insisted that Spike move in with her permanently, since she had more rooms than she knew what to do with anyway. The others gave a token of protest, especially Giles. But Spike was secretly pleased at this arrangement, knowing he was being given an opportunity to be closer to his beautiful black-haired witch.  
  
One beautiful Sunday morning, the five Scooby girls decided to treat themselves to a day-off of unadulterated shopping and pampering. They were enjoying the wonders of a Japanese rose-filled hot spring when Dawn suddenly asked out of the blue, "So have you and Spike boinked yet?"  
  
"Dawn!" Buffy exclaimed as Willow and Anya snickered.  
  
Anne felt her face suffuse with a hot red color, replying in a stutter, "Uh... what---what do... you... uh, mean, Dawnie?"  
  
Dawn continued, impervious to Buffy's glare, "What do I mean? I mean, hey, come on! You and him... living all alone inside that big house... with only three animals as chaperons...duh!"  
  
Anya chimed in, "Yes! Tell us of the orgasms you've been having!"  
  
Anne squeaked, "Anya! Crude much?" She used Buffy-slang unconsciously, covering her face with her hands. When she peered at her friends' faces, they were looking at her expectantly.  
  
Buffy asked eagerly, not minding that she was the one who first protested earlier. "Well?"  
  
"Spike and I ... haven't had orgasms yet." She spoke quietly. " We're just friends, is all."  
  
"How could you say that?" Willow cried. "Don't deny that you've been totally in love with that man for more than a century! How could you stand it?"  
  
Buffy nodded, "You have got to do something to make him fall for you, once and for all."  
  
"In other words, SEDUCE HIM." Dawn said firmly. Buffy turned to her in shock, "DAWN!"  
  
Dawn groused, "What? It's not like I'm an innocent in the ways of the world! And, hello? I'm so-oo way older than you now." She grinned smugly.  
  
Buffy narrowed her eyes, "NOT old enough to be saved from mom's punishments when she hears about this..."  
  
The idea appealed to Anne. How many nights have she lain in bed, wide-awake with nothing to alleviate the void inside her? How many nights had she tortured herself of images and fantasies concerning a certain bleached blond vampire? How many nights had been wasted unfulfilled, her body quivering with the need to be with him, to be close and intimate with the one man who could heat her blood so instantly?  
  
"But... how? I have absolutely no experience in deliberate seduction." Anne half-protested.  
  
The three female sported knowing smiles, " Ahh... Anne Sinclair, you just got lucky 'coz that happens to be our specialty. Here's how you do it..." And in the middle of the steaming pool of hot spring water, Buffy, Willow and Anya instructed Anne to the intricacies of female seduction. 


End file.
